Dalit man lynched over 'drone theft'; victim mentioned Rahul Gandhi
What's the story
A Dalit man was allegedly lynched by a group of men in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli district on Thursday, suspecting him of being a "drone thief." A video of the incident shows the men threatening and assaulting the victim Hariom, who mumbles "Rahul Gandhi." The attackers can then be heard saying in Hindi that "everyone here supports Baba." Congress leaders have alleged that the "baba" mentioned by the attackers was a reference to UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
Case
Locals discovered his body
According to authorities and locals, Hariom was traveling to his in-laws' village when the attackers stopped him. He told them he was from a nearby village and was visiting his in-laws, but they didn't believe him and began beating him, suspecting he was a "drone thief." Sources told ThePrint, they later took him to the bank of a canal, tied him to a post, and continued to beat him. Locals discovered his body near the railtrack the next morning.
Investigation progress
5 people arrested, police suspended
Based on a complaint from Hariom's father, Ganga Deen, police have registered a case and arrested five people: Vaibhav Singh, Vipin Kumar, Vijay Maurya, Suresh Kumar and Sahdev. Rae Bareli Superintendent of Police has also suspended Unchahar station house officer and three other policemen for their negligence in handling the case. During the investigation, a leather belt, white shirt and vest belonging to Hariom were recovered along with an eucalyptus stick used in the assault.
Political reaction
Congress reacts to video
Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed called the video "very disturbing" and alleged that the attackers claimed to be Yogi supporters. She wrote on X, "This is what the double engine government of Yogi and (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has done in Uttar Pradesh. Their politics of hate is costing the lives of Dalits and other marginalized." Congress communication in-charge Pawan Khera also condemned the incident as "heartbreaking and enraging," highlighting Gandhi's connection to Raebareli.
Official response
Deputy CM Pathak condemns incident
The lynching comes amid rumors of "drone thefts" in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh over the past two months. The rumors started from Amroha in July and have since spread to eastern districts like Prayagraj and Azamgarh. The rumors suggest that some people are using drones to take away items from homes. Villagers now patrol their areas at night due to these fears.