HEADLINE: “Jungle Raj” Returns? Dalit Woman Hacked to Death with Axe in Meerut; Family Accuses Police of Shielding Accused

Meerut : A harrowing incident of caste-based violence has shaken the Sardhana region of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Sunita Devi, a 50-year-old Dalit woman, was brutally hacked to death with an axe on Saturday while attempting to save her daughter from abduction. The incident has reignited the political debate over the safety of Dalits in the state, with the opposition terming it a return of “Jungle Raj.”
The Incident
According to the FIR and local reports, the attack occurred when Sunita Devi and her 20-year-old daughter, Rubi, were intercepted by the accused, identified as Paras Singh, who belongs to a dominant caste. Witnesses allege that Singh attempted to forcibly abduct the daughter. When the mother resisted, she was attacked with an axe, sustaining fatal injuries. The accused reportedly managed to abduct the daughter during the chaos.
Police Under Scanner
The victim’s family has refused to perform the last rites, staging a protest with the body. Their primary grievance lies with the local police administration. The family alleges that the Meerut Police initially tried to dilute the case by framing it as a “consensual elopement” or a “love affair gone wrong” to shield the upper-caste accused.
“My wife was murdered in broad daylight. Instead of catching the killer, the police are asking us about my daughter’s character,” the victim’s husband, Satyendra Kumar, told reporters.
Political Fallout
The incident has drawn sharp reactions from political heavyweights. Samajwadi Party leaders visited the village, accusing the Yogi Adityanath government of failing to protect the marginalized. BSP Chief Mayawati tweeted, “The murder of a Dalit mother protecting her daughter exposes the hollowness of law and order claims in UP.”