Raebareli, Oct 6 (IANS) The Opposition on Monday launched a fierce attack on the Uttar Pradesh government over alleged lynching of a Dalit youth in Raebareli on October 2, alleging a complete breakdown of law and order in the state.

The victim, identified as Hariom, was beaten to death with sticks and belts by a group of locals who mistook him for a thief. A video of the incident, showing the brutal assault, has gone viral online. Police have arrested five people in connection with the case so far.

According to the victim’s family, Hariom was on his way to his in-laws’ house in Dandepur Jamunapur when he was surrounded by a mob that accused him of stealing a drone and began thrashing him.

Congress State President Ajay Rai, who met the victim’s family, hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government.

“This is extremely unfortunate. This Dalit boy was brutally beaten to death. This shows the extent to which atrocities and injustice have increased under this government. A Dalit family’s son, Hariom Balmiki, was killed in this manner. He was murdered, and the murderers claimed, ‘we are Baba’s people’. The Congress party stands with the victim’s family,” Rai said.

Congress leader Udit Raj also condemned the incident, saying, “The video shows the brutality with which the ‘Baba gang’ attacked the man. These are people loyal to Yogi Adityanath. They act as if they have a license to kill. Their aim is to reinstate caste hierarchy. The ‘Baba gang’ consists of murderers, rapists, dacoits and communal criminals. I condemn this act.”

Congress MP Manoj Kumar, referring to a video on social media, got emotional.

“Whenever atrocities happen against Dalit brothers, it is very painful. I belong to the Dalit community and feel deeply saddened. We clean others’ homes instead of our own in the morning, and yet we are beaten with belts and sticks. It hurts,” he told IANS.

Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari claimed that the law-and-order situation in Uttar Pradesh has “deteriorated to such an extent that no one is safe, especially those from the Dalit class, who are being targeted”.

“This clearly shows that in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, or Chhattisgarh, Scheduled Castes are not safe,” he said.

Speaking about the incident, Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad said, “A Dalit who was going to his in-laws was mistaken for a thief. Despite repeatedly explaining that he was going to a relative’s place, the mob beat him to death. In a society governed by the rule of law, such things are unimaginable. People are now living in fear. Even going to a relative’s house has become dangerous under Yogi govt’s law and order.”

SP MP Virendra Singh, criticising the incident, said, “It is a very sad situation in the country that even after 75 years of independence, we are still promoting Manuwad. Such people do not hesitate to kill the poor through mob lynching, and the government does not act against them. Has any such incident happened where an upper-caste person was lynched? This mentality must be eradicated, but instead, governments encourage it.”

Congress MLA Aradhana Misra-Mona slammed the BJP-led government and said, “This is the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Ramrajya’. A young man was brutally beaten to death despite pleading for mercy. This incident highlights a pattern of impunity under the BJP, particularly against Dalit communities. NCRB statistics show Uttar Pradesh leads the country in crimes against Dalits, yet the BJP refuses to acknowledge these facts.”

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput claimed that “mob lynching is the primary task of the BJP”.

“Half-encounters, mob lynching, atrocities in the name of caste or cow protection — this is the hallmark of BJP rule. People who commit such crimes should be jailed and given the death penalty,” he added.

–IANS

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