3rd suspect arrested in India gang rapes, slayings

Police arrested a third suspect Saturday in the gang rape and slaying of two teenage cousins found hanging from a tree in northern India, as a top state official said he was recommending a federal investigation into a case that has triggered national outrage.

The three suspects detained in the attack in Uttar Pradesh state are cousins in their 20s from an extended family, and they face murder and rape charges, crimes punishable by the death penalty, police said. Two other suspects from the same village are also being sought.

Facing growing criticism for a series of rapes, authorities in Uttar Pradesh, which has a long-standing reputation for lawlessness, also arrested two police officers and fired two others Friday for failing to investigate when the father of one of the teenagers reported the girls missing earlier in the week.

India has a long history of tolerance for sexual violence. But the gang rape and killing of the 14- and 15-year-old girls -- which was followed by TV footage showing their corpses swaying as they hung from a mango tree -- stirred outrage.

With pressure mounting on the state government to act swiftly, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said he was recommending to the federal government a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Rahul Gandhi, a leader of the opposition Congress party, visited the families of the two girls Saturday and endorsed the demand for a federal investigation. -- AP