On November 20, the body of a young Dalit woman was found in a sack near the Kanjara River bridge in Karhal, Mainpuri district, Uttar Pradesh. The deceased’s family has claimed that the murder was politically motivated and has accused a man named Prashant Yadav of being responsible for the crime.
The victim’s family has also alleged that she was raped before being murdered. They claim that the woman had expressed her intention to vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Karhal bypolls, which reportedly angered Prashant. According to reports, he had threatened her with severe consequences if she voted for the BJP instead of the Samajwadi Party.
The family reported that the victim was threatened on November 19. Later that day, she was seen being taken away on a bike by two suspects. On November 20, her lifeless body, found naked and stuffed in a sack, was discovered. The police were alerted, and an investigation was launched. Upon reaching the scene, authorities took custody of the body and had it sent 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 victim’s mother stated, “Yesterday, my daughter told Prashant that she feared no one and would vote for Kamal [the BJP’s symbol].” She firmly believed her daughter was strangled to death for expressing her intention to vote for the BJP in the bypolls.
The victim’s father stated that they planned to go to Kota three days before the election. However, an SP leader advised them to leave only after voting and urged them to vote for the cycle (the SP’s symbol). His daughter informed the leader that she intended to vote for the BJP, prompting the leader and his associates to threaten her.
He further claimed that when they went to Bablu and Prashant’s house to inquire about their daughter, both denied knowing anything. However, he said he saw his daughter’s slippers at Prashant’s house. Later, they discovered her body stuffed in a sack near the Kajra River.
BJP leaders have called for strict action in the murder case. Speaking to the media, BJP candidate Anujesh accused the Samajwadi Party of being responsible for the killing of the Dalit girl. BJP IT Cell chief shared videos of the victim’s parents and posted, “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 stated that a young woman, who had benefited from the BJP government’s public welfare schemes, was brutally murdered by SP leader Prashant Yadav and his associates. He further emphasised that the entire state is witnessing the chaos caused by those wearing red caps. In a social media post, he remarked, “The people of the state have distanced them from power due to their hooliganism and intimidation.”
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।
मतदान करने से पहले एक पिता की असहनीय पीड़ा आप भी जरूर सुनें…#लाल_टोपी_काले_कारनामे pic.twitter.com/WXO5myOuA7
— Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary (@Bhupendraupbjp) November 20, 2024
In a press conference, BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary accused the Samajwadi Party of engaging in mafia-like tactics, pressuring people across the state to vote for the party using fake identity cards. He claimed that the SP was nervous due to the fear of defeat.
Mainpuri Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar confirmed that on November 19, they received a complaint about a 23-year-old woman who had gone missing. The following day, her body was found. The victim’s parents filed a complaint against two individuals, Prashant Yadav and Mohan Katheria, accusing them of killing the woman because she supported the BJP in the bypolls. An FIR has been registered based on their complaint, and both suspects have been arrested. The investigation is ongoing.
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
The bypolls for the Karhal seat were held on November 20, following its vacancy after Akhilesh Yadav’s victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The seat has been a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party since 1993. Tej Pratap Yadav, nephew of Akhilesh Yadav, is the SP’s candidate for the seat, while Anujesh Yadav, the uncle-in-law of Tej Pratap Yadav, is representing the BJP. The constituency has a significant voter base, with 1.4 lakh Yadav voters, along with 15,000 Muslims and 40,000 Dalits.
