Overview

• Victim Hariom, a Dalit man from Fatehpur, was beaten by villagers who suspected he was part of a theft gang using drones and was later declared dead at the Unchahar community health centre.
• Raebareli police say five accused — Vaibhav Singh, Bipin Maurya, Vijay Maurya, Sahdev and Suresh Kumar — have been arrested and sent to judicial custody, with efforts underway to identify others from videos.
• Several police personnel faced action for alleged negligence, including the removal of the Unchahar SHO and the suspension of three staffers, according to officials.
• A widely shared clip captures the assault, with the victim faintly saying “Rahul Gandhi” and attackers referencing “Baba,” which Congress leaders cite to allege a political and caste motive.
• Police state the accused come from varied social backgrounds and urge against spreading caste-related claims, as Congress leaders contact the family and seek compensation and a higher-level probe.