Family Demands Increased Security After Gayatri Prajapati Jail Assault

Jailed former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati was hospitalised Tuesday after a fellow inmate allegedly assaulted him inside Lucknow district jail, sustaining superficial injuries to his head and right hand, according to police and family statements. The incident, described by authorities as arising from a scuffle over cleaning duties, has sparked outrage from Prajapati's relatives, who labelled it a targeted conspiracy and urged immediate upgrades to his security amid his eight-year incarceration on rape charges they deem politically motivated.

Prajapati, a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and ex-cabinet minister in Akhilesh Yadav's 2012–2017 government, was struck with what police called a "sliding part of a cupboard", causing minor wounds treated at King George's Medical University (KGMU) Trauma Centre. He was discharged the same evening and reported out of danger.

However, speaking to reporters with a bandage on his head, Prajapati claimed the attacker, identified as convicted inmate Vishwas, used a knife—contradicting official accounts and fuelling family suspicions. The inmate has been isolated and questioned by jail officials, with a preliminary probe underway to clarify the weapon and circumstances.

Prajapati's daughter, Ankita, and wife, Amethi SP MLA Maharaji Prajapati, vehemently protested the assault as premeditated. "My father is innocent, jailed for a crime he didn't commit—the accuser's medical exam was never done, and we were denied justice despite pleas to the Chief Minister," Ankita said tearfully, demanding a meeting with Yogi Adityanath.

Maharaji questioned jail protocols: "Even a needle can't enter without checks—how did a knife get in? This is a conspiracy; the government must ensure his safety and deliver justice." Recent social media footage showed Ankita weeping and pleading for protection, amplifying calls for vigilance in a facility housing high-profile inmates.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav echoed the demands on X, posting: "An impartial judicial inquiry is essential into this deadly jail attack on former minister Gayatri Prajapati. No one is safe in Uttar Pradesh." Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand insisted on proper medical care.

Prajapati's 2017 arrest in a high-profile POCSO rape case in Unnao—weeks before state polls—has long been contested by SP as a BJP vendetta, amid Uttar Pradesh's overcrowded prisons (over 1.5 lakh inmates against 1 lakh capacity, per NCRB data). As investigations proceed, the episode highlights persistent concerns over inmate safety and political retribution in the state's correctional system.