Congress alleges delegation stopped from visiting Rae Bareli lynching victim’s family

The Congress party on Friday (October 10, 2025) alleged that a delegation from the party, intending to meet and provide financial assistance to the family of Hariom Valmiki, a Dalit man lynched in Rae Bareli, was stopped by the local administration in Fatehpur. The party vowed to stand by the family and described the authorities’ actions as authoritarian.

“In Rae Bareli, Dalit man Hariom Valmiki was brutally beaten to death by goons operating under the protection of the government. Today, a Congress delegation led by Fatehpur Congress Committee district president Mahesh Dwivedi ji and city president Mohammad Arif ‘Gudda’ ji was going to meet the victim’s family and provide financial assistance. But the administration forcibly stopped this delegation. The government hates Dalits so much and wants to suppress any voices raised in their support. It is clear that the sole objective of today’s action is to suppress the voice of Dalits, backward classes, and the poor by creating an atmosphere of fear and injustice,” said Ajay Rai, president of Uttar Pradesh Congress. 

Mr. Rai added that the party firmly stands behind the family of the deceased. “The Congress Party makes it clear that we stand firmly with the family of Hariom Valmiki ji and will continue to raise our voice against this injustice on every forum,” he said. 

The deceased was lynched by a mob on October 1, amid rumours of being a thief. In the viral video of the incident, a group of men can be seen beating the victim, who can be feebly heard saying some words including “Rahul Gandhi”. The accused continue beating him, saying in Hindi, “everyone here is with Baba”.

The Raebareli police said Hariom, reportedly mentally unstable, was walking to his in-laws’ house when a mob surrounded him and accused him of being a member of a gang marking houses with drones for theft. He was beaten with belts and sticks, and died soon after.

The video led to an uproar, after which Raebareli police suspended three personnel, including a sub-inspector, removed the Station House Officer (SHO), Sanjay Kumar, and arrested five accused. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and local MP Rahul Gandhi, whose name also figured in the viral video, spoke with the family of the deceased on October 5, assuring help and support. 

“The BJP government is running Uttar Pradesh through the idea of Manusmriti, in which Dalits and marginalised have no place. On one hand, the Dalit man was lynched by a mob, highlighting the failure of administration; on the other hand, the government is stopping the Congress delegation which was going to provide financial assistance. Dalit oppression has rapidly increased in Uttar Pradesh, with Dalits being murdered, facing social exclusion, and institutional discrimination,” said Anil Yadav, a senior U.P. Congress leader.