Lucknow: A Dalit man was thrashed to demise allegedly by a mob in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli district on suspicion of being a “drone chor (thief)”, with the incident taking a political flip Sunday after the Congress claimed he was attacked as a result of he talked about senior occasion chief Rahul Gandhi’s title.

A purported video of the sufferer, recognized as Hariom, surrounded by a gaggle of males has surfaced on social media. The incident happened Thursday however got here to mild two days later.

Based mostly on a grievance from the sufferer’s father, Ganga Deen, the police registered a case and arrested 5 individuals Sunday, recognized as Vaibhav Singh, Vipin Kumar, Vijay Maurya, Suresh Kumar and Sahdev, within the matter.

थाना ऊंचाहार क्षेत्र अतंर्गत कुछ लोगों द्वारा एक युवक को चोर समझ कर पीटकर उसकी हत्या किए जाने के संबंध में अपर पुलिस अधीक्षक रायबरेली श्री संजीव कुमार सिन्हा का वक्तव्य-#UPPolice #Raebarelipolice pic.twitter.com/R1cw1f1iNt

— Raebareli Police (@raebarelipolice) October 5, 2025

Later, the Rae Bareli Superintendent of Police suspended the Unchahar station home officer, native in-charge, and three different policemen for not dealing with the case correctly.

In keeping with police officers, a leather-based belt, a white shirt, a vest belonging to the sufferer and a eucalyptus stick used within the assault have been recovered throughout investigation. Officers stated they’re nonetheless attempting to determine and arrest different individuals a part of the assaulting mob.

In a publish on X Sunday, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed stated she had seen the “very disturbing video” from Rae Bareli, the place a Dalit youth named Hariom was lynched.

“When he repeated stated ‘Rahul Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi’, these criminals claimed they have been supporters of Yogi,” she alleged, mentioning Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

“That is what the double engine authorities of Yogi and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has finished in Uttar Pradesh. Their politics of hate is costing the lives of Dalits and different marginalised,” she wrote. “Muslims are being attacked, ladies are unsafe, and Dalits and OBCs are being focused. Nobody is protected beneath the BJP authorities wherever,” she added.

Congress’s communication in-charge Pawan Khera termed the “horrific lynching” as each “heartbreaking and enraging”.

“In his remaining moments, as he was being mercilessly overwhelmed with sticks and belts, the deceased younger man remembered his final hope – Shri Rahul Gandhi,” he wrote on X.

“For Rahul ji, who represents Raebareli in Parliament and considers its folks his household, this tragedy is deeply wounding.”

“He (Gandhi) has personally spoken to the daddy and brother of the deceased and stands in full solidarity with them on this hour of insufferable grief,” Khera added. “He has additionally expressed his profound concern over the harmful normalisation of lynching in India, vowing that such violent parts should face their authorized finish. Justice have to be served.”

Congress UP chief Ajay Rai visited the sufferer’s home in Fatehpur Monday and demanded justice and compensation for the household.

UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, commenting on the homicide, instructed reporters: “This can be a deeply tragic incident, and I strongly condemn it. Strict motion might be taken in opposition to anybody discovered responsible. If any law enforcement officials are concerned, they may also be held accountable.”

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‘Drone chor’ suspicions

The incident comes amid rumours of “drone theft” spreading throughout rural areas of Uttar Pradesh over the previous two months. It refers back to the act of drones being utilized by felony gangs to scout properties for housebreaking and theft, or for simple victims to abduct.

The rumours may be traced to Amroha in west UP the place tales started to flow into in early July a couple of gang of thieves allegedly carrying solely underwear and smeared with oil utilizing drones to survey properties earlier than burglaries. Considerations about “drone thefts” have since unfold to japanese UP districts like Prayagraj, Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, Azamgarh and others.

Many villagers patrol their areas at evening now and a few confrontations with strangers or suspected intruders have even was scuffles.

Sources within the UP police instructed ThePrint that on the evening of two October, 38-year-old Hariom, a resident of Fatehpur district, was travelling to the village of his in-laws on the Unchahar-Dalmaun street when round two dozen locals stopped him and began questioning him.

In keeping with police and locals, Hariom instructed them he was from a close-by village and visiting his in-laws, however they didn’t consider him. Suspecting that he was a “drone thief”, the folks began beating him with sticks and belts.

Sources stated they later took him to the financial institution of a canal, tied him to a pole and continued to thrash him whereas he pleaded that he was harmless. They ultimately left him half-conscious close to a railway observe.

Locals discovered his physique close to the observe the following morning and referred to as the police. It was taken to the Unchahar group well being centre, the place docs declared him useless. Witnesses stated the physique bore extreme accidents on the pinnacle, belt marks on the chest and bruises throughout.

(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)

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