A 28-year-old Dalit man, Hariom Paswan, was brutally beaten to death by a mob on October 3 in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh, sparking widespread outrage after disturbing videos of the lynching went viral on social media.
The victim was allegedly accused of being a “drone thief” and was mercilessly thrashed by a mob. In one of the videos, Hariom can be heard taking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s name, following which the attackers assaulted him more aggressively, shouting “We are Baba’s people,” believed to be a reference to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Late on Sunday night, Rahul Gandhi personally reached out to Hariom’s family, while speaking over the phone with his father Gangadin Valmiki and younger brother Shivam. He expressed solidarity, assured the family of full support. “Don’t worry, the Congress family stands with you,” Gandhi reportedly told them. He also inquired about the father’s health and assured that senior Congress leaders would visit them soon.
Congress state president Ajay Rai met the grieving family Monday and called the incident “a blatant example of jungle raj under the Yogi government.”
“The attackers said they were from the ‘Baba’ side. They beat the boy to death just because he mentioned Rahul Gandhi’s name. This is not law and order, this is terror,” Rai said, vowing strict action and justice for the family.
Hariom’s wife, Pinky, who had been living at her maternal home since their marriage, demanded capital punishment for the accused. “Just as my husband was killed in such a brutal way, the killers should also face the same fate. I want justice,” she said.
His sister Kusum, a nursing aspirant, alleged that the killing was a “well-planned conspiracy.” She revealed that her brother had called the police helpline (112) during the assault but no help arrived. Videos show police arriving at the scene but failing to intervene, and later leaving while the mob continued the assault.
Hariom’s mutilated body was later found dumped near a railway track. His brother Shivam said, “We have seen the video. They beat him so savagely, even assaulting his private parts with sticks. I can’t even watch the whole video. Those who did this should be hanged, and their houses bulldozed.”
The incident has raised serious questions about police inaction. So far, 10 individuals have been arrested in connection with the lynching, and six policemen including Unchahar SHO Sanjay Kumar, have been suspended for negligence.
The grieving father, Gangadin, shared how his wife, who is unwell, has been in shock since hearing the news. “She hasn’t spoken a word since she found out,” he said.
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