Ayodhya, 2 February 2025: Ayodhya (Faizabad) MP Awadhesh Prasad broke down in front of reporters after the body of a 22-year-old Dalit woman was found naked in a canal near her village in Uttar Pradesh.
The woman’s family alleged she had been murdered after going missing days earlier, claiming her body bore deep wounds, fractures, and that her eyes were missing.
‘I Failed to Save Her’
A visibly emotional Prasad, surrounded by colleagues, wept before cameras. “Let me go to Delhi, to the Lok Sabha. I will bring this before (PM) Modi, and if we don’t get justice, I will resign,” he declared. His colleagues attempted to console him, reminding him that he must fight for justice.
In a video circulating online, Prasad is heard lamenting, “What will history say? How did this happen to the girl child?” At one point, he called out, “Where are you, Lord Ram? Where are you, Mother Sita?” His colleagues urged him to continue his fight, handing him a tissue as he wiped his tears.
Discovery of the Body
The victim’s family said she had gone missing Thursday night, prompting a search. On Saturday morning, her brother-in-law found her body in a small canal, 500 meters from their village. Her hands and legs were tied, and her body showed deep cuts, they said.
Villagers who helped recover the body noticed one of her legs was fractured. The sight of her condition caused her elder sister and two other women to faint.
Police Response & Family’s Allegations
Circle Officer Ashutosh Tiwari stated that police had registered a missing persons report after receiving a complaint on Friday. “Once we receive the post-mortem findings, we will proceed accordingly,” he told PTI.
However, the woman’s family accused police of inaction, alleging officers failed to search for her properly despite the missing complaint.
A large crowd gathered at the site where the body was found, demanding swift justice.