Raebareli: Hariom, a young Dalit man from Fatehpur was beaten to death on the suspicion of theft in Raebareli's Unchahar area. The incident, which took place late Wednesday night, sparked outrage after a video of the disturbing incident showed the victim repeatedly taking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's name while being assaulted by mob claiming, "Hum 'baba' wale hain."
Days after the incident, Gandhi spoke to the father of Hariom and assured him of assistance. Taking to social media, Congress shared a video of the incident from their official handle.
The party wrote on X, "The news of a Dalit youth being beaten to death in Raebareli is extremely heartbreaking. Our condolences are with the grieving family. In the video, when the Dalit youth, as a last hope, takes the name of the Leader of Opposition, Shri Rahul Gandhi, the killers still do not stop and instead say, 'We are the Baba ones.' This incident shows that in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath has given criminals free rein. Especially regarding crimes against Dalits, he has turned a blind eye. This is why UP is number 1 in cases of crimes against Dalits."
Five Arrested for Murder
Hariom was reportedly mistaken for a thief and beaten to death with sticks in Unchahar's Ishwardaspur village. In the video circulating online, the youth appears unconscious as attackers question him about his companions. During the assault, he is heard saying Gandhi's name and mentions "Unnao" and "Fatehpur" before succumbing to his injuries.
The local police arrested five men in connection with the murder, identified as Viabhav Singh of Ishwardaspur, Vipin Kumar of Dhardepar, Suresh Kumar of Baharpur, Vijay Maurya, and Sahadev. All of them are currently under custody.
Speaking about the arrest, Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Sinha said, “In connection with the killing of a young man in Unchahar, who was mistaken for a thief and beaten to death by some people, five individuals have been immediately registered as accused and sent to jail. The remaining accused will be arrested soon. Continuous raids are being conducted.”
Have a look at his and the victim's father's statements here:
Congress to Raise Issue at Party Meeting
Following the incident, Gandhi spoke to Hariom’s father, Gangadin, from Delhi and assured him of all possible assistance.
The party has announced plans to take up the matter at a core committee meeting in Lucknow on Monday, October 6, which is to be chaired by National General Secretary Avinash Pandey. State Congress President Ajay Rai and Vice President Sharad Mishra are also expected to visit Hariom’s village in Fatehpur to meet the bereaved family and discuss the next course of action.
