An engineering graduate killed a woman and her cousin at their residence in Bulandshahr district after the woman spurned his marriage proposal, a senior police official said on Saturday. Ankit, a resident of Dhakoli village, also burnt the bodies of Sheelu, 23, and her cousin Shivani at their home in neighbouring Bahpur village on Thursday, SSP Muniraj G said.

According to the SSP, Ankit visited Sheelu's residence on Thursday and proposed her for marriage, but she rejected the proposal. Ankit then strangulated her to death. Since Shivani witnessed the incident, he also killed her with a motorcycle clutch wire. Ankit then took out petrol from his motorbike and set the bodies on fire, Muniraj G said.

The police worked out the case in less than 24 hours, the SSP said. He said the police put the mobile phones of Ankit and a few other suspects on surveillance. The investigation revealed that Ankit was at Sheelu's residence on the day the killings happened. Ankit later admitted to have killed the sisters, the
official added.