Two days after bodies of two schoolgirls were found hanging from a tree in a village in Karimganj district bordering Bangladesh, the post-mortem examination report has ruled out rape and confirmed that the duo had committed suicide.

“The post-mortem examination report that has come late Saturday afternoon has clearly said that the girls had died of asphyxia as a result of suicidal hanging. The report provided by the Silchar Medical College hospital has also clearly stated that there was no evidence or sign of any sexual assault or intercourse,” Karimganj deputy commissioner Sanjib Gohain Baruah told The Indian Express over the telephone.

Tension prevailed in Kabaldubri village, under Nilambazar police station, after villagers found bodies of two girls hanging from the same tree. Initial local reports hinted at suspicion that the two were raped and murdered, with a section of the media even comparing it with the Badaun ‘rape’ and murder of Uttar Pradesh.

Police said the girls had gone missing after school on Thursday. While one girl was in Class VIII, the other was in Class IX. The families of the two girls however have not filed any FIR with the police till Saturday evening.

Kabaldubri is located right on the Indo-Bangladesh border with most of the 100-odd families belonging to a minority community are poor farmers either with small land-holdings or share-croppers.

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