Meerut Dalit Murder: Kidnapped Daughter Still Missing, Police Bar Congress Leaders from Village

Tensions simmer in Uttar Pradesh's Kapsad village under Sardhana police station, where a Dalit woman was brutally murdered and her 20-year-old daughter kidnapped over 50 hours ago, yet police have no leads on the missing woman or the prime suspect. The incident, unfolding on January 8, has ignited caste-based outrage, political slugfests, and a security lockdown, with barricades sealing off the village to prevent external interference.

The horror began Thursday afternoon when Sunita (45), a daily wage laborer, and her daughter Ruby (20) headed to a nearby forest on the village outskirts—a routine path for foraging firewood and herbs. Eyewitnesses and family accounts allege that Paras Som (28), a local resident from a rival community, ambushed them. Som reportedly attempted to forcibly abduct Ruby, sparking a scuffle. When Sunita intervened to protect her daughter, Som allegedly slashed her repeatedly with a sharp weapon—believed to be a sickle—inflicting fatal wounds to her chest and abdomen. Ruby screamed for help before Som dragged her away toward his residence, vanishing into the village lanes. Sunita was rushed to a local community health center but succumbed en route to Meerut Medical College due to excessive blood loss.

Sunita's son, Mandeep (22), a factory worker, filed the FIR late Thursday, charging Som under IPC Sections 302 (murder), 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape, anticipating worst fears), and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act provisions for caste-motivated violence. Six suspects, including Som's relatives, have been detained for questioning, but the main accused remains at large. Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vipin Tada mobilized 10 teams comprising over 200 personnel, including canine units, drone surveillance, and forensic experts, conducting raids across 15 villages. "We're combing forested areas and checking hideouts; the girl must be found alive," SSP Tada assured, revealing that Ruby's bloodied chappals and a torn dupatta were recovered near the crime scene.

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Village unrest peaked Friday as the family initially refused Sunita's last rites, demanding Ruby's recovery and arrests—a common protest tactic in Dalit atrocity cases. Administration intervention led to cremation that evening under heavy police presence. By Saturday, Kapsad transformed into a fortress: all entry roads barricaded with concrete blocks, Rapid Action Force (RAF) deployed, and drones monitoring rooftops. No outsiders, including journalists, were permitted, citing Section 144 restrictions to avert caste clashes reminiscent of the 2023 Lakhimpur Kheri violence.

The lockdown clashed with political visits. A Congress delegation—led by Ali Asif Jama Rizvi (chairman, legal department), Manoj Rai, Alok Kumar, Savita Gautam, and Kiran Sharma—was stopped at the perimeter despite prior intimation. "We sought only to console the family and offer legal aid," Rizvi fumed, accusing authorities of suppressing Dalit voices. Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad (Azad Samaj Party/Bhim Army chief) planned a rally but was deterred by the siege. SP leaders and Bhim Army activists demanded "bulldozer action"—the Yogi government's controversial tactic of razing accused properties—while BJP figures condemned the "heinous crime" but accused opposition of politicizing it for votes ahead of 2027 polls.

Activists highlight systemic issues: UP reported 15,000+ SC/ST atrocity cases in 2025 (NCRB), with Kapsad's history of inter-community feuds exacerbating fears of honor crimes or forced marriage motives behind Ruby's abduction. A CWC team is counseling Mandeep and siblings, while women's helplines buzz with tips. Police promise breakthroughs via mobile tracking and informant networks, but as night falls, Ruby's fate hangs in balance, fueling statewide Dalit mobilization.

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