Lucknow, Apr 9 (Zee News): Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala has accused the BJP of running a 'goonda raj' in Uttar Pradesh. This was in reaction to reports that the father of the woman who had alleged she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar allegedly died in police custody.

The woman's father had been arrested by the police on Sunday, after she allegedly attempted suicide outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow, News18 reported.

Surjewala reacted to the report in a tweet in which he alleged the woman's father had been beaten to death by the UP Police. "Gruesome & barbaric! Humanity gets shamed as the rape victim attempts suicide & her father is beaten & dies in police custody. Instead of arresting criminals, victims are arrested by U.P BJP Govt. 'Goonda Raj' prevails in U.P, justice held to ransom as BJP leaders run a-mock," his tweet read.

However, the BJP MLA who has been accused of raping the woman, Kuldeep Sengar denied that he had any connection to the death, and dismissed the rape allegation as baseless.

The woman alleged that Sengar and his associates raped her, and that authorities had refused to register her complaint. She said she had been running from pillar to post for over a year, but that authorities had not paid her any heed. She attempted to set herself on fire twice - first outside Adityanath's residence, and then outside the Gautam Palli Police Station.

However, police said there is more to the allegations than meets the eyes. "On further probe it was found that both parties are in a dispute since 10 to 12 years," said Rajiv Krishan, ADG Lucknow. "Allegations can be proved only after a thorough probe," he added.