Prayagraj murders: AAP, Bhim Army slam Yogi govt's indifference; UP Dy CM defends probe

Anguished at the gruesome murder of four members of a Dalit family in Prayagraj, AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Saturday, lashed out at the UP government for not visiting the family. Alleging that BJP was casteist, he has written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention in the matter. He added that on meeting the victims' family he was moved by their sorry plight and condemned police inaction. Phoolchand (45), wife, and their minor daughter and son were found dead in Prayagraj on Thursday.

AAP & Bhim Army slam Yogi govt over Prayagraj

Claiming that the mother and minor daughter were gang-raped, Singh asked, "Where are you sleeping Adityanath ji? Wake up, in Prayagraj, there has been a more gruesome incident than the Hathras incident. The brutal murder of husband, wife and their 10-year-old handicapped son. The minor daughter was gang-raped and murdered. But neither you nor any of your ministers have met the family because you are full of caste hatred. I have sought time from the President, I will meet him and appeal to him to intervene in this matter."

Echoing similar sentiments, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad said, "How many dead bodies should we lift Yogi ji? It was only one year after the Hathras gang rape that now the mother and daughter were raped and murdered in Prayagraj. A total of four members were hacked to death with an axe. Under the protection of power, these goons are massacring Dalits. This repression has to be answered".

On Friday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited the deceased Prayagraj labourer family and claimed that UP police was unwilling to help them. With four members murdered, Vadra claimed that the remaining members were all women who felt unsafe in their homes. She added that infact two police personnel were removed from the family's security cover.

"The family is in terror. All of them are women, the male member works in Jharkhand. They don't know what will they do alone, somebody can come and torment them. The police didn't help them. Two Police personnel were removed from here yesterday," said Vadra.

Lashing out at Vadra, UP deputy CM Sidharth Nath Singh said, "Eight accused related to this tragic incident have been arrested. For the safety of the relatives of the deceased, along with the arrangement of police security at their residence, they have been given financial assistance of ₹ 16.5 lakhs. Just one question Priyanka ji, is your definition of Dalit love different for different states?".

Family of four found dead in Prayagraj

On Thursday, Sarvashresth Tripathi, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Prayagraj informed, "Deceased Phoolchand (45), wife, their minor daughter and son belonging from one family were found dead here. The deceased family had filed an SC/ST case against some people of the village itself. Primary investigation suggests that they were attacked with sharp-edged weapons. The bodies have been sent for autopsy & all angles are under investigation". The victims' family have accused the police of failing to act on previous such complaints filed by them. Axes were discovered near their bodies, and it appears that they were only hit by those axes, the source added.