Police stop Congress leaders from visiting Rae Bareli lynching victim’s family

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was detained in Lucknow on Saturday (October 11, 2025) when he attempted to visit Fatehpur and provide financial assistance to the family of a Dalit man allegedly lynched in Rae Bareli on October 1. As soon as Mr. Rai, along with senior party leaders — including Sitapur Lok Sabha MP Rakesh Rathore — came out from the State party office, the policemen stopped their vehicle and took them to a police station. They were later set free in the evening.

“When Hariom Balmiki was being brutally beaten to death, the police was missing. Today, as Congress members are rushing to the aid of the victim’s family, the same police forcibly stopped us. This exposes the administration’s utter indifference to the public and the fearful mindset of those in power. Due to pressure from the government, police worked in an authoritarian fashion. This is a direct attack on justice and humanity,” Mr. Rai told The Hindu.

Mr. Rai vowed to stand with the victim’s family and fight for the issues of marginalised sections. “Brave workers of Rahul Gandhi will never be intimidated by these threats. We will always stand against oppression and injustice. We were arrested and kept in the police line, but no one can stop us from helping Hariom Valmiki ji’s family. The Congress party has always fought for the rights of the Dalits, the marginalised, and the exploited, and this fight will only grow stronger now,” he said.

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

On October 10, a local Congress delegation from Fatehpur headed to meet Valmiki’s family to provide financial assistance was stopped by the local administration.

The deceased was lynched by a mob on October 1 after he was suspected of being a thief. In the viral video of the incident, a group of men were seen beating the victim, who could be feebly heard saying some words, including “Rahul Gandhi”. The accused continued to beat him, saying in Hindi that “everyone here is with Baba”.

The Rae Bareli police said Valmiki, who had reportedly been 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 Rae Bareli police suspended three police personnel, including a sub-inspector, and also removed the Station House Officer (SHO) Sanjay Kumar and arrested five persons.

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.