UP: Dalit woman's body found in SP minister's ashram in Unnao; report says she was was strangulated, neck snapped

Two months after a 22-year-old Dalit woman in Unnao had gone missing, police recovered her decomposed body near an ashram owned by a former state minister's son.

The autopsy of the Dalit woman, whose body was found in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao on Friday, has revealed that she was strangulated. The post-mortem report also showed that her neck was broken.

The autopsy report also stated that she was assaulted and two injuries on her head were noticed.

The station house officer (SHO) of the area has been suspended for alleged laxity in the probe.

According to police, Rajol Singh, the son of former SP minister late Fateh Bahadur Singh, was arrested on January 24 in connection with the alleged kidnapping of the woman.

On January 25, the woman's mother had tried to immolate herself in front of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's vehicle in Lucknow.

The woman's mother has alleged laxity by police, especially the local SHO Akhilesh Chandra Pandey.

Additional Superintendent of Police, Unnao, Shashi Shekhar Singh said: "On December 8, a missing complaint was filed after which an FIR was lodged on January 10 as per the rules. One person was arrested and the investigation is in progress. Based on the probe findings, the body was recovered. We are getting a post-mortem done and will take further action accordingly."

Asked about the family's allegation that police delayed lodging the case, the ASP said: "This is not completely true. First, a missing complaint was lodged because the woman was an adult. When the Investigating Officer expressed doubt that the accused may have harmed the woman, police acted accordingly and recovered the body. So far, one person has been arrested. We are looking for his accomplices."

Meanwhile, the woman's mother told reporters: "My daughter was killed by Rajol Singh in his ashram and buried there. I had gone to the ashram earlier. They showed us the whole premises, except the three-storey building. I had called a local police officer, but he switched his phone off. If he had come, I would have found my daughter alive."

Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar put out a video message on Thursday night demanding action against Rajol Singh and the policemen.

"Both are equally responsible for the incident. I give two days to the chief minister to ensure justice to the deceased woman. Two days are for the administration and the third day will be mine," he said and added that he will visit Unnao at the earliest.

Published on: Friday, February 11, 2022, 02:36 PM IST