Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati, currently imprisoned, was injured in Lucknow Jail on Tuesday night, sparking conflicting narratives and raising concerns about his safety. While jail authorities have described the incident as a minor scuffle with another inmate, Prajapati's family alleges a conspiracy to murder him.
According to officials, the incident occurred at the jail hospital, where Prajapati was receiving treatment. The Uttar Pradesh Prisons Administration Department stated that a heated argument broke out between Prajapati and an undertrial prisoner who was on cleaning duty. The argument reportedly started when Prajapati asked the undertrial for water, and the undertrial refused. The situation escalated, and the prisoner allegedly struck Prajapati on the head with the sliding part of a cupboard, causing superficial injuries. The jail administration maintains that Prajapati was immediately given necessary treatment and is now completely fit.
However, Gayatri Prajapati has a different account of the event, stating that he was "attacked by a vicious criminal". Speaking to ANI, Prajapati identified the inmate as Biswas, claiming he has been in jail for a long time and that the attack was sudden and without any prior dispute. Following the incident, Prajapati was taken to the trauma center at King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow for further treatment.
Prajapati's family has voiced strong suspicions of a larger conspiracy. His daughter, Ankita Prajapati, alleged that the attack was intended to kill her father, who she maintains has been wrongly imprisoned for the past 8.5 years. She has requested a meeting with the Chief Minister and demanded justice from the judiciary, asserting her father's innocence. Prajapati's wife, Maharaji Prajapati, who is also a Samajwadi Party MLA from Amethi, echoed these concerns, calling the incident a conspiracy and questioning how a weapon like a knife could enter the jail premises. She demanded that the government ensure justice for her husband.
The Samajwadi Party (SP), to which Prajapati belongs, has also expressed serious concern over the incident. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav has called for a judicial inquiry into the attack, stating that "no one, nowhere is safe in Uttar Pradesh". SP Ayodhya MP, Awadhesh Prasad, has demanded Prajapati's release on security grounds, claiming he received five stitches on his head and that officials should investigate how a sharp weapon entered the jail.
Gayatri Prasad Prajapati was arrested in February 2017 in connection with a rape and molestation case. The FIR against him was registered on the court's directions. The recent incident in Lucknow Jail has intensified the controversy surrounding his imprisonment, with his family and political party raising serious questions about his safety and the circumstances surrounding the attack. The conflicting accounts from jail authorities and Prajapati himself, coupled with the family's conspiracy allegations, have created a complex situation that is likely to be further investigated.
