
Ayodhya: Rape-murder of Dalit woman triggers political slugfest; 3 arrested
Opposition blames Yogi government for deteriorating law and order situation; UP CM alleges SP hands behind incident
A bitter political slugfest has broken out in Uttar Pradesh over the alleged rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Ayodhya even as police on Monday (February 3) arrested three suspects in the case.
Trio was drunk: Police
The naked body of the 22-year-old woman was fished out of a desolate canal in Ayodhya on Saturday (February 1). Her family members have alleged rape and murder and claimed that the woman’s eyes were gouged out, her bones broken, and that her body bore deep wounds.
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Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Raj Karan Nayar said the arrested trio -- Hari Ram Kori, Vijay Sahu and Digvijay Singh -- committed the crime under the influence of alcohol before dumping the body in the canal near the victim’s village.
Akhilesh, Faizabad MP blame Yogi govt
The incident which comes ahead of the February 5 bypolls in Milkipur – an Assembly constituency under the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency in Ayodhya – has triggered a furore in political circles with the Opposition attacking the Yogi Adityanath government over the law and order situation in the region.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has alleged that atrocities are being committed against the 'PDA' community – an acronym he coined for 'Pichde (backward), Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (minority)' sections of the society.
He said the entire party, including Faizabad MP from Ayodhya, Awadhesh Prasad, was hurt by the incident.
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BJP harassing SP leaders: Akhilesh
In a statement, Yadav also accused the BJP government of "hatching a conspiracy" in poll-bound Milkipur.
“People in Milkipur are with the Samajwadi Party but under the pressure of the government, the local administration wants to defeat the SP,” he said.
"BJP is the most dishonest and a lying party. BJP is disrespecting both democracy and constitution," he was quoted as saying in the statement.
"BJP is harassing Samajwadi Party leaders and workers by filing false and fake cases against them. The attitude of the BJP government is dictatorial," Yadav added.
Prasad’s on-camera sobbing
Yadav’s statement came after Prasad broke down in a press conference on Sunday (February 2), and said he will resign from Lok Sabha if the woman is not given justice. The video of a sobbing Prasad consoled by his colleagues has gone viral on social media ever since.
"I failed to save her. I will raise the matter before (Prime Minister) Modi in the Lok Sabha. If we don't get justice, I will resign," Prasad said after meeting the deceased woman’s family.
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‘Theatrics’, snaps Yogi
Reacting to Prasad's 'outburst', Chief Minister Yogi said the Faizabad MP was engaging in "theatrics" on the issue.
Speaking at a poll rally in Milkipur, Adityanath also said that some "criminals from the Samajwadi Party" will be found involved in the Ayodhya incident.
“Remember, the incident that happened with the Dalit daughter in Ayodhya. When the investigation goes to the bottom, the involvement of some or the other beast of the Samajwadi Party will surely be known,” he said.
How many have to suffer like this? asks Rahul
Senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra too have lashed out at the BJP over the incident while demanding strict action against the culprits and the police officers whom they accused of inaction.
In a post on X, Rahul alleged that had the administration paid heed to the cries of the woman’s family ever since she went missing, perhaps her life could have been saved.
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"How many families will have to cry and suffer like this? The anti-Bahujan BJP rule, especially in Uttar Pradesh, is resulting in heinous atrocities, injustice and murders of Dalits," Rahul said.
‘BJP’s jungle Raj’
Priyanka said the kind of barbarism committed against the Dalit woman would send chills down the spine of any human being.
"Such cruel incidents shame the entire humanity. The girl was missing for three days but the police did nothing. In BJP's 'Jungle Raj', no one is there to listen to the cries of Dalits, tribals, backward and poor. The Uttar Pradesh government has become synonymous with atrocities on Dalits," she said.
Voting for the by-election in the Milkipur assembly seat will be held on February 5 and the counting of votes will be done on February 8.