Dalit man lynched in Raebareli over theft allegation; Five arrested, Police suspensions follow

October 6, 2025

Raebareli, Oct 6: A Dalit man was brutally lynched in Uttar Pradesh’s Raebareli after being mistaken for a thief, sparking outrage and political uproar across the state. Police have arrested five people in connection with the incident so far.

The victim, identified as Hariom, was allegedly beaten to death with sticks and belts by a group of locals.

According to his family, he was on his way to his in-laws’ house in Dandepur Jamunapur when a mob surrounded him and began thrashing him, suspecting him to be a drone thief.

Hariom’s wife, Pinki, demanded justice for her husband’s killing. The couple has a four-year-old daughter.

“They caught him and beat him to death. The accused should be punished in the same way my husband was killed. I want justice from the government,” she said.

Hariom’s father also demanded the death penalty for the accused and called for bulldozer action.

“My son was murdered. We received the information on October 2. We demand that the killers be given the death penalty and their houses be demolished with bulldozers,” he said.

The city’s top cop on Monday informed that five accused have been rounded up and more miscreants are under the scanner and will soon be behind bars, after ascertaining their role in the crime.

Raebareli Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Sinha, speaking to the media, said that the hunt is underway for identifying and nabbing more culprits who were behind the killing of Dalit youth, and their houses are being searched.

Stating that the police have taken up the matter with utmost sensitivity, he said that viral CCTV footage relating to the incident was under police scrutiny.

Briefing the media about the horrific death of 38-year-old Dalit man Hari Om, he said, “On October 2, a semi-naked body was discovered at the Ishwar Daspur railway halt in the Unchahar Kotwali area. The person was identified as Hari Om, a resident of Fatehpur Kotwali. His body bore injury marks.”

The Additional SP also informed that the police personnel deployed in the region were also sacked over negligence and dereliction of duty.

“Sub-inspector has been suspended for dereliction of duty; two beat constables have also been sacked. A total of five policemen, including a ‘daroga (inspector)’, have been suspended,” he told the press.

The lynching of a Dalit youth by a group of men has stirred a major political row, with Congress claiming a complete breakdown of law and order under the BJP government.

A video of the incident also went viral, which showed some men surrounding Hari Om and mercilessly thrashing him over claims that he was a member of a gang, marking houses for theft.

The top cop also made an appeal to social media users not to lend ear to rumours and false claims.

“The victim belongs to the Dalit community, but the accused are not only from forward castes, they also include members from backward castes. They are criminals and caste can’t be the sole criterion for the murderous attack,” he said.

The incident has triggered a sharp political reaction, with Opposition parties accusing the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of failing to ensure the safety of Dalits and marginalised communities.

The government, however, has assured that strict action will be taken against those responsible.