An unclothed body of a 22-year-old Dalit woman, who was missing, was found in a desolate canal near her village in Ayodhya, with her family alleging murder and rape.

According to the family, the woman had been missing since Thursday night. They launched a search and her brother-in-law found her body in a small canal, 500m away from the village on Saturday morning. Her limbs were tied with ropes, and her body had multiple deep cuts, they said. 

The family members said that her eyes were missing and that the body bore deep wounds and fractures. The woman's family accused police of inaction, alleging that officers did not actively search for her despite the missing report, and that the police had asked the family to look for her themselves.

Circle Officer Ashutosh Tiwari said that police registered a missing report on Friday after receiving a complaint. 

Opposition lashes out

Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad broke down in tears and said he would resign if the family did not get justice, saying he would go to Delhi and bring it to the attention of the Prime Minister.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lashed out at the BJP as they demanded strict action against the culprits and the police officers accused of inaction.

In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, "If the administration had paid heed to the cry for help of the girl's family that had been echoing for three days, perhaps her life could have been saved."

“In BJP's Jungle Raj, no one is there to listen to the cries of Dalits, tribals, backward and poor. " Priyanka Gandhi said.

Police have launched an investigation, and efforts are underway to identify those responsible, Tiwari said.