Father hangs daughters upside down overnight on theft suspicion, younger dies, elder

A 10‑year‑old girl died and her 11‑year‑old sister was left critically injured after their father allegedly hung both children upside down overnight at their home in Banpuri village of Atpadi taluka in Sangli district on suspicion that they had stolen money, police said. The father, Dadu Haibat Yamgar (35) , has been arrested and a detailed investigation is underway.

According to police and hospital sources, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening when Yamgar tied the hands and legs of the two girls and suspended them from an iron beam or angle in the roof of their modest tin‑roofed house after hearing neighbours’ accusations that the sisters had stolen money from a relative’s home. The children reportedly remained in that cruel and painful position for more than 12 hours , crying out in pain and repeatedly asking for water, which they were allegedly denied.

Family members, including the girls’ mother and grandparents , were present in the house but were reportedly threatened by the father with a sharp tool if they tried to intervene or release the children, police said. Their grandfather finally untied them only the next morning , around 7 am, after which both girls were found unconscious and rushed to hospital.

The younger girl, identified as Sanika alias Rutuja , was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Pandharpur, Solapur district. Her elder sister Anuja regained consciousness later and described the ordeal to doctors , prompting medical staff to alert the police. Anuja remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition, officials said.

Police have registered a case against Yamgar under Sections 101 (murder) and 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , and are seeking custody orders from the court to further their probe. Authorities are also examining the role of other family members present during the incident and whether any attempts were made to conceal the crime before it was reported.

The brutality of the act has shocked residents of the village and drawn widespread condemnation from across the state, with many questioning how such extreme violence against children could occur within a family home and calling for strict legal action against the accused.

Authorities continue to investigate and have said they will rely on the surviving sister’s testimony and forensic evidence to establish the full timeline of events and final charges.