Watch: SP MP breaks down before media as missing Dalit woman found dead in Ayodhya canal

SP MP Awadhesh Prasad vowed to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha and speak directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Image: ANI)

Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad broke down while addressing a press conference on the brutal murder of a Dalit woman in Ayodhya. The unclothed body of the 22-year-old Dalit woman, who had been missing for three days, was found in a desolate canal near her village, reported PTI. Her family has alleged murder and claimed that her eyes were missing and that her body bore deep wounds and fractures.

He vowed to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha and speak directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Let me go to Lok Sabha, I will speak with PM Modi. If justice is not served, I will resign from the House. We are failing in protecting daughters" he said.

#WATCH | SP MP Awadhesh Prasad breaks down as he addresses a press conference on the incident wherein the body of a girl, who was missing for 3 days, was found in a field in Ayodhya.He says, "Let me go to Lok Sabha, I will speak with PM Modi. If justice is not served, I will pic.twitter.com/8SvPUYaArR
ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2025

Speaking on the issue, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra strongly criticized the and demanded strict action against both the culprits and the police officers accused of negligence. The woman’s family accused the police of inaction, stating that officers failed to actively search for her despite a missing report being filed.

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi called the incident "heartbreaking and very shameful." He added, "If the administration had paid heed to the cry for help of the girl's family that had been echoing for three days, perhaps her life could have been saved."

Condemning the rising crimes against Dalits, Gandhi said, "Another daughter's life has ended due to this heinous crime. For how long and how many families will have to cry and suffer like this? The anti-Bahujan BJP rule, especially in Uttar Pradesh, is resulting in rising heinous atrocities, injustices, and murders of Dalits."

He urged the Uttar Pradesh government to swiftly investigate the crime, ensure the culprits face the strictest punishment, and take action against negligent police officers. He also warned authorities against harassing the victim’s family.

Priyanka Gandhi expressed similar outrage, stating that the brutality inflicted on the Dalit woman who had gone to attend a Bhagwat Katha in Ayodhya was horrifying.

"Such cruel incidents shame humanity. The girl was missing for three days, yet the police did nothing. In BJP's Jungle Raj, no one listens to the cries of Dalits, tribals, backward, and poor communities. The UP government has become synonymous with atrocities on Dalits," she said.

She demanded strict action against both the perpetrators and the police officers responsible for inaction.

According to the family, the woman had been missing since Thursday night. Her brother-in-law discovered her body in a small canal, 500 meters from their village, on Saturday morning.

The family claimed her limbs were tied with ropes and her body bore multiple deep cuts. Villagers who retrieved her body also noticed a fractured leg. The horrific condition of her remains caused her elder sister and two other women to collapse in shock.

Circle Officer Ashutosh Tiwari stated that police had registered a missing report on Friday after receiving a complaint. He confirmed that an investigation is underway, and efforts are being made to identify those responsible.