Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Awadhesh Prasad broke down at a press conference Friday while discussing the alleged murder of a 22-year-old Dalit woman whose body was discovered in a canal in Ayodhya earlier that day.
The woman’s family claims she was raped and murdered. They said that her eyes were gouged out, her bones broken, and her body showed deep wounds and fractures.
Prasad, who visited the family’s home, later spoke to reporters, visibly emotional. “I failed to save her,” he said, choking back tears. “Let me go to Delhi, to the Lok Sabha. I will raise this before Prime Minister Modi. If we don’t get justice, I will resign,” he added.
The Ayodhya MP invoked Lord Ram and Goddess Sita, expressing disbelief that such a crime could occur in Ayodhya, regarded as the birthplace of Lord Ram. “What will history say? How did this happen to this girl?” he asked, his voice shaking. Supporters encouraged him to continue fighting for justice.
The woman had gone missing Thursday night, reportedly after attending a Bhagwat Katha event. Her body was found the following morning by her brother-in-law, approximately 500 meters from the family’s village. Police said her hands and legs were tied, and her body showed signs of violent abuse.
Ayodhya police have detained two people for questioning and await the post-mortem report to proceed with further investigation. “We have a missing person report filed Friday, and we are actively looking into the matter,” said Circle Officer Ashutosh Tiwari.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath dismissed Prasad’s emotional press conference as “theatrics.” Speaking at a poll rally in the Milkipur assembly segment, Adityanath claimed the involvement of a Samajwadi Party member in the incident. “The law will take its course, but mark my words, when the investigation proceeds, we will find a criminal from the Samajwadi Party,” he said.
Opposition leaders, including Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Mayawati, Congress MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, strongly condemned the incident. Mayawati described the crime as “extremely tragic and serious” and called on the government to take firm action.
Gandhi and Vadra criticised the Uttar Pradesh government’s response, with Gandhi accusing the administration of failing to act on the family’s pleas. “Another daughter’s life has been lost due to this heinous crime,” he said.
Priyanka Gandhi termed the crime “barbaric,” saying that it showed the growing insecurity under the ruling BJP government, particularly for Dalits and marginalised communities.