4 more accused arrested in Rae Bareli Dalit lynching case, 9 behind bars so far, Gangster Act and NSA to be imposed
Politics has heated up over the tragic incident in Unchahar, and police action has intensified. Learn how Hariom, suspected of being a thief, lost his life and what has happened since.
Published on: 08 Oct 2025, 12:35 pm
Rae Bareli: Police have arrested four more people in connection with the lynching of a Dalit man on suspicion of theft in the Unchahar area of Rae Bareli district in Uttar Pradesh. Officials said on Wednesday that the total number of arrested accused in the case has now reached nine.
The police have taken a tough stance, stating that action will be taken against the accused under the stringent Gangsters Act and the National Security Act (NSA). They have also warned against attempts to give the incident a racial tinge, stating that the accused were unaware of the victim’s caste.
What is the whole matter?
This tragic incident occurred around 1 a.m. on October 2nd. Rumors spread that a gang was carrying out thefts by using drones to reconnoitre homes. This rumor prompted villagers to maintain night vigils. During this time, they apprehended 40-year-old Hariom Valmiki, a resident of Fatehpur, and, mistaking him for a thief, brutally beat him to death.
Rae Bareli Superintendent of Police (SP) Yashveer Singh said, “Four more people were arrested on Tuesday. These include a relative of the main accused Shivam, who had sheltered him, Shiv Prasad Agrahari, who stood as a mute spectator and did not inform the police, and Lalli Pasi and one of his associates.”
Strict action and warning from the police
According to Superintendent of Police Yashveer Singh, five accused—Vaibhav Singh, Vijay Kumar, Sahadev Pasi, Vijay Maurya, and Suresh Kumar Maurya—were arrested on murder charges soon after the incident. He clarified, “The victim was a stranger to the villagers, and the accused involved in this incident belong to different communities. Police will take strict action against anyone spreading rumors or disturbing communal harmony.”
The Superintendent of Police said that locals in Jamunapur village beat Hariom with sticks, rods, and belts after suspecting him of being a thief. “The deceased appeared mentally unstable and was unable to identify himself properly. The villagers mistook him for a thief and beat him to death,” he said. Police were informed of the incident the next morning, after which the body was sent for a postmortem, which confirmed multiple serious injuries.
Police have identified 10 to 15 more suspects based on video evidence, and more arrests are expected soon. Police teams are also coordinating with the Fatehpur police and tracking suspects who may have fled to other states.
Politics heated up on the issue
The incident has sparked a political firestorm. The Congress party on Tuesday called it a “murder of humanity and the Constitution.” Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former President Rahul Gandhi said in a joint statement that mob lynching, bulldozer injustice, and mobocracy have become a horrific hallmark of our times.
Earlier on Monday, Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai met with Hariom’s family and claimed that the victim was beaten more severely after he mentioned Rahul Gandhi’s name. He also alleged that “jungle raj” prevails in the state. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi spoke with the victim’s brother over the phone and assured him of all possible help.
