Unnao: The main accused in the case is the son of an ex-Samajwadi Party MLA.
The body of a 22-year-old Dalit woman, who went missing two months ago from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, has been found in a pit near an ashram built by a Samajwadi Party leader who died four years ago. The politician's son is the main suspect, and he reportedly led the police to the body.
The discovery, smack in the middle of the UP election, has left Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav facing attacks from rivals like the BJP and Mayawati.
The young woman's decomposing body was dug out from an empty piece of land near the ashram in the name of Fateh Bahadur Singh, who was a minister in the Samajwadi Party government of Akhilesh Yadav in 2012-17.
Her family initially refused to cremate her, demanding swift action against Fateh Bahadur Singh's son Rajol Singh, who was arrested last month. They relented after an assurance from the administration.
"The person who they are saying belongs to the Samajwadi Party died four years ago. Police should answer why they took so many days to act on the matter. We are with the victim's family. We are with her mother and her demand should be fulfilled," Akhilesh Yadav told news agency ANI.
The woman's family had named Rajol Singh in a police complaint two months ago. The family says the police did not act.
The woman went missing from her home on December 8, 2021. The next day, her mother went to the police.
On January 24, the mother tried to throw herself in front of Akhilesh Yadav's convoy in Lucknow.
The Samajwadi leader's son was arrested the next day, after the case drew public attention. He was questioned a few days ago and that is when they reportedly learnt where the body was buried. A post-mortem revealed multiple wounds on her body.
"We interrogated the accused Rajol Singh on remand. After which we recovered the woman's body on Thursday. The body was buried in the plot near the ashram. We used local intelligence and mobile surveillance to identify the spot where the body was buried," said Unnao's Additional Superintendent of Police Shashi Shekhar Singh.
The police claimed the case appeared to be one of an affair gone wrong.
A police inspector has been suspended for slow action and a second person has been arrested.
The BJP accused Akhilesh Yadav of ignoring the woman's mother when she came in front of his convoy.
"Akhilesh Yadav, a Dalit daughter's body has been found from a Samajwadi Party leader' land. You didn't listen to the girl's mother when she was begging in front of your car. You are shielding your party leader. You will shield every crime of Samajwadi Party leaders. You will leave no stone unturned to help the accused," tweeted Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, the number two in the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati also targeted the Samajwadi Party and demanded action.
"The recovery of the body of a Dalit girl in the SP leader's field in Unnao district is a very sad and serious matter. The family members were already suspecting the SP leader about her abduction and murder. The state government should immediately take strict legal action against the culprits to get justice for the victim's family," she tweeted.
The Samajwadi Party has emerged as the top challenger to the BJP as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath fights for a second term in the election. The results of the seven-phase vote will be announced on March 10.