A 16-year-old Dalit girl who was allegedly raped by a man in Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh has died during treatment at a hospital, police said on Friday.

Additional Superintendent of Police (West) Sanjay Rai said the teenager was held hostage and raped on Sunday last week.

“The accused tied her hands and mouth and left her in a millet field in a seriously injured state. She was admitted to the SRN Hospital in Prayagraj where she was undergoing treatment and passed away last evening,” Rai said.

On the complaint of the victim’s mother, the police had registered a case against accused Anil Gupta under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, he said.

The 22-year-old accused was arrested on Monday after a gunfight with the police, they said. Murder charges have also been added to the case, police added. The body was returned to family after conducting the post-mortem, PTI reported.

In another incident from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi in November last year, a 19-year-old woman was hacked to death in broad daylight by two brothers, including the man accused of raping her.

According to reports, the woman butchered with an axe on the main road as scared villagers watched helplessly. Pawan Nishad was accused of raping her three years ago, when she was a minor. Reports said that Pawan and his associates had been harassing the woman, since then, to get her to drop the case lodged against him.

Pawan’s brother, Ashok Nishad, was an accused in a separate murder case and was released less than two days before the young woman’s murder. The officials explained that Pawan was out of jail by this time and the two plotted to confront the woman’s family and force them to close the case.

Two Agniveers were killed when a shell from an Indian field gun exploded during firing practice at the Artillery Centre in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, police said on Friday.

According to an official, the incident occurred at the Artillery Centre in the Nashik Road area on Thursday afternoon.

The official informed that Agniveers Gohil Vishwaraj Singh, 20, and Saifat Shit, 21, were killed in the blast.

A team of Agniveers was firing an Indian field gun when one of the shells exploded. The duo sustained injuries and were taken to MH Hospital, Deolali, where they were pronounced dead, the official said.

Based on a complaint by Havildar Ajit Kumar, a case of accidental death has been registered with the Deolali Camp police, and further investigations are on, the official said as reported by PTI.

Announced on June 14, 2022, the Agnipath scheme has been criticised widely by the leaders from the Opposition, claiming that the scheme lacks gratuity, retirement benefits, job security and martyred status and others.

There are concerns about the four-year service period and what will happen to the 75 percent of Agniveers who leave the scheme after that time. There were widespread protests against this scheme in several states, including Bihar, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

The Agnipath scheme aims to enlist young people aged between 17.5 and 21 years into the armed forces for a period of four years, which includes training. Under this scheme, Agniveers are recruited into the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy for four years of service. After this period, 25 percent of Agniveers are permanently recruited into the Indian Army.

Agniveers receive a starting package of about Rs 4.76 lakhs in the first year, which increases to around Rs 6.92 lakhs by the fourth year. Each Agniveer is required to contribute 30 percent of their monthly salary to a service fund, with an equal contribution made by the government.

BJP president JP Nadda asserted on Friday that after Haryana, the BJP would also sweep the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

Speaking to reporters, Nadda said the BJP had achieved a lot in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir and credit for this goes to the people and the almighty.

Nadda paid obeisance at the Shri Naina Devi temple in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur today and said the people were happy with the performance of the BJP government at the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Today I got the privilege of taking the blessings of Maa Naina Devi on the ninth day of Sharadiya Navratri. With the blessings of Mother Goddess, all of us will work with our full energy to fulfill Prime Minister Modi’s dream of a developed India,” he said.

After the party’s victory in the Haryana elections, the Union Health Minister was in Himachal Pradesh to offer prayers.

“The party would also sweep upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand,” Nadda said.

Bucking anti-incumbency, the ruling BJP pulled off a hat-trick of wins in Haryana to retain power and halt Congress’ comeback attempt in the assembly elections.

In the recent Assembly elections, BJP won Haryana by 48 seats, while Congress had 37 seats, 2 for INLD and 3 seats went to independent candidates.

On winning the Haryana Assembly election, PM Modi extended his gratitude to the people of Haryana for giving a clear majority to the BJP once again. “This is the victory of the politics of development and good governance. I assure the people here that we will leave no stone unturned to fulfil their aspirations,” he had said.

PM Modi asserted that the party’s victory in the state was an outcome of the hard work of party workers.

The BJP also made notable gains in Jammu and Kashmir by winning 29 of the 90 seats. The National Conference-Congress combine is set to form government in the Union territory.