On 20th November, the body of a young Dalit woman was recovered in a sack near the Kanjara River bridge in Karhal, Mainpuri district, Uttar Pradesh. The family of the deceased has alleged that it was a politically motivated murder and accused a person named Prashant Yadav of the crime.
The victim’s family has further alleged that the deceased was raped before being killed. The victim had expressed her intention to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Karhal bypolls, which allegedly enraged Prashant. As per reports, he threatened the woman with dire consequences if she voted for the BJP and not the Samajwadi Party.
The family stated that she was threatened on 19th November. On the same day, she was seen being taken away on a bike by two suspects. On 20th November, her naked body was found stuffed in a sack. The police were informed about the incident, and an investigation into the matter has been initiated. Upon arriving at the scene, the police took possession of the body and sent it for a post-mortem examination.
लाल टोपी वाले गुंडों का कुकृत्य एक बार फिर सबके सामने है। PDA का नारा देने वाले अखिलेश यादव के लाल टोपी वाले गुंडों ने करहल में दलित बेटी की निर्मम हत्या कर दी। अखिलेश यादव को अपनी पार्टी के गुंडों को नियंत्रण में रखना चाहिए नहीं तो कानून और प्रशासन तो है ही। https://t.co/HZEhADK8YR pic.twitter.com/YQPbrRQ8B1
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 20, 2024
Speaking to the media, the mother of the victim said, “Yesterday, my daughter told Prashant that she does not fear anyone and will vote for Kamal [the political symbol of the BJP].” She asserted that her daughter was strangled to death for suggesting that she would vote for the BJP in the bypolls.
The victim’s father said that three days prior to voting, they were planning to go to Kota. However, an SP leader asked them to leave only after voting and urged them to vote for the cycle (SP’s symbol). His daughter told the leader that she would vote for the BJP, after which the leader and his associates threatened the young girl.
He further alleged that when they went to Bablu and Prashant’s house to inquire about their daughter, both of them denied any knowledge. However, he alleged to have seen his daughter’s slippers at Prashant’s house. Later, they found her body in a sack near the Kajra River.
BJP leaders have demanded strict action in the murder case. Speaking to the media, BJP’s candidate Anujesh accused the SP of killing the Dalit girl. BJP IT Cell chief shared the videos of the victim’s parents and wrote, “The misdeeds of the red-capped goons are once again in front of everyone. The red-capped goons of Akhilesh Yadav, who gave the slogan of PDA, brutally murdered a Dalit girl in Karhal. Akhilesh Yadav should keep the goons of his party under control, otherwise there is the law and administration.”
BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary said that a daughter, who had benefited from the public welfare schemes of the BJP government, was brutally murdered by SP leader Prashant Yadav and his companions. He added that the entire state is witnessing the mayhem caused by those wearing red caps.
In a social media post, he said, “The people of the state have kept them far away from power because of their hooliganism and bullying.”
जनपद मैनपुरी की विधानसभा करहल में सपाई प्रशांत यादव व उसके साथियों ने मिलकर एक दलित बेटी की नृशंस हत्या कर दी। हत्या सिर्फ इसलिए कि दलित बेटी ने साइकिल पर वोट देने से मना कर दिया था।
— Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary (@Bhupendraupbjp) November 20, 2024
मतदान करने से पहले एक पिता की असहनीय पीड़ा आप भी जरूर सुनें…#लाल_टोपी_काले_कारनामे pic.twitter.com/WXO5myOuA7
In a press conference, he stated, “These are people of the mafia rule. The Samajwadi Party is pressurising people across the state to vote for SP by making fake identity cards. SP is nervous due to the fear of defeat.”
Mainpuri Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinod Kumar stated that on 19th November, they received a complaint that a 23-year-old woman had gone missing. The next day (20th November), her dead body was recovered. The parents of the victim filed a complaint against two individuals, Prashant Yadav and Mohan Katheria alleging that they killed the woman for favouring BJP in bypolls. An FIR has been registered based on the complaint, and both of them have been arrested by the police. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
थाना करहल क्षेत्र अंतर्गत एक दलित युवती का शव बरामद होने की घटना के संबंध में थाना करहल पर अभियोग पंजीकृत कर अभियुक्तों की गिरफ्तारी व अग्रिम विवेचनात्मक विधिक कार्यवाही के संबंध में पुलिस अधीक्षक मैनपुरी द्वारा दिए गए आधिकारिक वक्तव्य। pic.twitter.com/tvCXBUeaEF
— MAINPURI POLICE (@mainpuripolice) November 20, 2024
Bypolls took place in Karhal on 20th November after the seat was vacated following Akhilesh Yadav’s victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The seat has been considered a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party since 1993. Tej Pratap Yadav, nephew of Akhilesh Yadav, is the SP’s candidate from the seat. On the other hand, Anujesh Yadav, the uncle-in-law of Tej Pratap Yadav, is the BJP’s candidate. Yadavs comprise 1.4 lakh voters in the constituency, while Muslims and Dalits make up 15,000 and 40,000 voters, respectively.
