Rahul Gandhi meets family of lynched Dalit man in Raebareli

Kanpur: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday met with the family of Hariom Valmiki, the Dalit man who was lynched in Raebareli.

The victim's uncle Chaudhary Bhakt Das said Gandhi interacted with the family members.

Valmiki (40) was allegedly lynched by villagers who mistook him for a thief during a night vigil at about 1 am on October 2 amid rumours that a gang was using drones for surveillance to mark houses for robberies.

The incident had sparked widespread outrage, with opposition parties, including the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, accusing the BJP government of failing to protect Dalits and curb mob violence.

Following the attack, police registered a case, and have so far arrested 14 people, including the main accused who was held after an encounter on October 10. Five policemen, including two sub-inspectors, were suspended for alleged lapses in handling the case.

The Congress leader landed at Chakeri airport and travelled about 80 km by road to Fatehpur, where he met the family members of the deceased.

Ahead of his visit, the government issued an offer letter to Hariom's sister, Kusum, for a contractual post as a staff nurse at the Fatehpur Medical College.

Tight security arrangements were in place ahead for his visit, with the lane leading to Valmiki's house barricaded.