Uttar Pradesh Bypolls: A 23-year-old woman, who purportedly refused to vote for the Samajwadi Party, has been found murdered in Karhal. The body was found stuffed in a sack Nagla Anti, Mainpuri. The parents of the woman alleged that she was raped and then strangled to death.
The victim had reportedly been missing since Tuesday. According to local accounts, she was last seen in the company of some residents from the area. Her family launched a search after she failed to return home that evening. Acting on a tip-off, the police recovered her body and sent it for a post-mortem examination.
Family Alleges Political Threats
The woman's mother alleged that on the eve of the election, Prashant Yadav, a supporter of the Samajwadi Party (SP), and his associates visited their home, urging them to vote for the SP. The family, who supports the Bharatiya Janata Party, said that they would vote for the saffron party only. "We told them we would vote for the lotus symbol," the victim's mother told the media. She claimed that Yadav threatened them with severe consequences for refusing to back the SP.
BJP Accuses SP Workers of Murder
The Uttar Pradesh BJP unit accused SP worker Prashant Yadav and his associates of murdering the young woman after she refused to support their party. In a social media post, the BJP alleged that the woman was targeted for her political allegiance in the bypolls.
Karhal Murder Suspects Arrested
The victim's father claimed she was raped and strangled. The police have not yet confirmed the allegation. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of death and verify the claims made by the family.
Vinod Kumar, SP of Mainpuri said: "The body of a 23-year-old girl from Karhal was found this morning. A case has been registered against two people by her father. One of them is Prashant Yadav and the other is Mohan Katheria. Both of them have been arrested. Her parents have given a statement that their daughter was murdered in order to prevent her from voting for the BJP. Further investigation is underway."
BJP leader Amit Malviya slammed the Samajwadi Party over the incident, calling it another instance of the "criminal mentality" of SP supporters. Referring to Samajwadi Party members as "red-capped goons", he said, “Akhilesh Yadav’s so-called PDA slogan stands exposed. A Dalit girl in Karhal has been brutally by his party’s goons. Akhilesh Yadav must rein in such elements in his party or the law will take its course.”
The Samajwadi Party has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.