The murder of two Dalit youths in Pratapgarh has given a fresh ammunition to the opposition to attack the Yogi Adityanath government.
Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh state Assembly and senior Samajwadi Party leader, Ram Govind Chaudhary, said the incident was 'extremely worrying'.
"The atrocities against Dalits have been increasing and nobody is safe in Uttar Pradesh," he said, adding that the incident reflected on the prevailing law and order situation in the state. Former Congress MP Pramod Tiwari said that the failure of the state government to control the spurt in crime was a matter of concern.
"The twin murders of Dalit youths in Pratapgarh reflect on the state of policing, rather lack of policing, in the state," he stated. Two youths, identified as Shivbhole, 25, and Rajendra, 23, both residents of the Sapha Chat village, were found murdered in a rice field near the village on Monday afternoon.
The youths were close friends and their bodies bore injury marks. As the news spread, tension prevailed in the village and adjoining areas under the Patti Kotwali police circle.
Senior police officials, including Superintendent of Police (Pratapgarh) Satpal Antil, along with forces and forensic experts rushed to the spot and initiated investigations. A heavy deployment of police was made in the village to prevent any fallout of the incident.
SP Satpal Anil said, "Police are probing the case thoroughly and four teams have also been formed to track the assailants. Bodies have been sent for post-mortem." On the complaint of family members, an FIR under section 302 of IPC has been lodged with the concerned police station.
Police, meanwhile, said they were talking to the villagers as well as family members to compile details. The motive behind the killings was still unknown. Family members claimed that both the youths had left the house together and did not return. Later their bodies were spotted in the field.
