Post by Focus on Feb 20, 2013 16:29:29 GMT
Three young sisters from a small Indian village have been raped and murdered before their bodies were thrown into a well, it has emerged.
The three girls - aged 11, nine and six - went missing on Valentine's Day from their impoverished home village of Murmadi in Lakhni tehsil after finishing school.
Their bodies were found in a well four days later near their hometown in the Bhandara district - which is located just 65kms from the city of Nagpur.
Horrific : Three sisters - aged 11, nine and six - were raped and murdered before their bodies were thrown into a well near their village of Murmadi
It is alleged that the three sisters - who lived in abject poverty - were lured away by a stranger with the promise of food.
The horrific murders come after a 23-year-old student was brutally raped on a bus in New Delhi and died 13 days later from her horrific injuries.
The violent assault sparked protests and demonstrations across the country as civilians demanded better protection for women.
Theory : Police have launched an investigation to find the culprit as the girls' grandfather says he believed the sisters - who were living in abject poverty - were lured away by a stranger promising them food
Outrage : Residents of the village in the Bhandara district are in uproar over the murders and have accused police of trying to pass off the crime as an accident
These latest 'deplorable' murders are likely to reignite the campaign to clamp down on violent sexual attacks across the region.
The local community is already in uproar over the attack.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan said: 'The incident is extremely deplorable and painful. I appeal to the people to maintain calm and cooperate with the law-enforcers.'
The girls' grandfather - who cannot be named because raped victims can never be identified under Indian law - believes the sisters were lured away by a stranger with promises of food, NDTV reports.
The sisters' father died four years ago and the family struggles to get by on the lowly wage earned by their mother as a labourer.
Villagers have already criticised the police handling of the case - claiming they tried to pass off the deaths as an accident.
Union Minister Praful Patel, who represents Maharashtra in parliament, visited the mother of the three girls at her home.
He told NDTV: 'As a father of three daughters, I am appalled at the atrocity committed on these girls. I have raised the matter with the chief minister to ensure financial assistance to the widow, speedy investigation and a fast track trial of the accused.'
Mr Patel had urged chief minister Prithviraj Chavan to provide special financial aid to the widow, the Times Of India reports.
Five large investigation teams have been formed to find the culprit and a reward has been offered for any information leading to an arrest of 50,000 rupees - the equivalent of just under £600.
Some workers on the minimum wage in India earn as little as £35 a month. But many don't any receive that.
The brutal rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi sparked protests across India where thousands of people marched in homage to the victim and called for better protection for women
THE HORRIFIC GANG RAPE CASE THAT SHOCKED INDIA
Mass protests and demonstrations were sparked around India when it emerged that a 23-year-old student was brutally gang raped on a bus as she made her way home from the cinema.
The student had spent the evening with a male friend watching the hit film Life Of Pi on December 16.
But as the pair made their way home in New Delhi they were forced on to a bus where she was repeatedly raped while her friend was beaten with an iron bar.
She was rushed to hospital after the horrific ordeal and underwent three major surgeries - including one to remove her intestines.
The victim was then flown to a specialist hospital in Singapore but died from cardiac arrest on December 29 - 13 days after the brutal attack.
The case has caused uproar in India, with mass demonstrations for women's rights, tougher rape laws and calls for the suspects in the case to be hanged.
Six suspects have been arrested over the attack and are due to be tried later this year -- UNSPEAKABLE SAVAGERY!!!
Fx 
