Political Storm Brews Over Dalit Girl's Death In Uttar Pradesh

The tragic death of a Dalit girl in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, has ignited a fierce political battle, with opposition parties demanding justice and accountability amidst allegations of sexual assault and administrative apathy.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh to inaugurate the Ganga Expressway on April 29, a political storm triggered by a Dalit girl's death in a village here looms large over the state, with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav set to visit the girl's family the same day and other opposition parties also demanding immediate justice and action against erring officials.

Opposition Leaders React To Ghazipur Incident

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday claimed that the victim, belonging to the Vishwakarma community, was raped and brutally killed and that her family was threatened to prevent the filing of an FIR.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remarked that atrocities against women were at their peak in Uttar Pradesh.

The Samajwadi Party on Friday announced that a delegation led by party president Akhilesh Yadav will visit the village and meet the girl's family on April 29.

The same day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi to inaugurate the Ganga Expressway.

Details Of The Ghazipur Case

A teenage girl's body was found in Karanda area of Ghazipur district on April 15, with her family alleging sexual assault and murder. While the police said they are investigating the case, relatives and locals have been demanding speedy justice.

The controversy intensified on April 22, when a Samajwadi Party delegation visiting the victim's family came under stone-pelting in the village, leaving several people, including police personnel, injured. Police have arrested 10 people in connection with the attack.

Earlier, Yadav had alleged that "power-protected dominant elements" and the village head were behind the assault, calling it an attack on the PDA (Pichhda or Backward, Dalit, Alpsankhyak or Minority).

"In a Ghazipur village, a lethal attack and stone-pelting were carried out by the village head and dominant elements on the Samajwadi Party delegation going to meet the family of a girl who died under suspicious circumstances," Yadav had said, adding, "Under the BJP rule, neither villages nor cities are safe. Uttar Pradesh is passing through its worst phase of anarchy."

Political Reactions And Demands For Justice

Reacting to the incident in a statement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "A daughter of the Vishwakarma community has been raped and brutally murdered in Ghazipur, and the family has been threatened to prevent them from filing an FIR.

"Action should be taken against the guilty police officers, the family should be provided security and a high-level probe should be conducted. Why are daughters so unsafe under the BJP rule? In such circumstances, justice is not asked for, it is snatched," he said.

In an X post, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra condemned administrative apathy.

"In the case of the murder of a girl in Ghazipur, the reluctance to register a case initially, then threats to the victim's family and chaos created by dominant elements, show that atrocities against women are at their peak in the state. Under the BJP rule, it has become an unwritten law that whenever a woman faces atrocities, the victim is harassed further."

Police Investigation And Appeal For Calm

Varanasi Additional Director General of Police Piyush Mordia visited the village on Friday and met the family along with senior officials. He said the girl, aged around 17 years, had gone missing on the night of April 14 and her body was found in the Ganga river the next morning about three kilometres away in the Karanda police station area.

"Based on the information given by the family, an FIR was registered and the main accused has been arrested. Further investigation is underway," Mordia said. He added that the family expressed satisfaction with the police action and requested a fast-track trial.

Mordia also cautioned against attempts to disturb peace. "After this incident, some political parties and external elements tried to create unrest in the village and attempted to instigate the family by presenting unrelated facts. I request that this should not be done," he said, adding that strict legal action would be taken against anyone trying to vitiate the atmosphere.

Police have said a murder case has been registered, though the post-mortem report suggested drowning, and initial investigation has indicated a possible suicide angle citing a prior relationship between the deceased and the main accused.