Hariom Valmiki, 40, was lynched on October 2 by locals who mistook him for a criminal.
Rahul Gandhi met the victim’s family in Fatehpur amid tight security.
14 accused arrested; 5 police officers suspended for mishandling the case.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, visited the family of Hariom Valmiki, the Dalit who was lynched in Raebareli, on Friday.
Chaudhary Bhakt Das, the victim's uncle, claimed that Gandhi spoke with the relatives.
During a night vigil at around 1 am on October 2, Valmiki (40) was allegedly killed by locals who thought he was a criminal. This occurred amid reports that a gang was employing drones for surveillance to mark homes 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.
Police filed a case after the incident and have since taken 14 people into custody, including the primary suspect, who was detained following an altercation on October 10. Due to apparent shortcomings in their handling of the investigation, five police officers—two of whom were sub-inspectors—were suspended.
After landing at Chakeri airport, the Congress leader drove roughly 80 km to Fatehpur, where he visited the deceased's relatives.
Kusum, Hariom's sister, received an offer letter from the government for a contract position as a staff nurse at the Fatehpur Medical College before his visit.
Tight security precautions were in place ahead of his visit, with the lane leading to Valmiki's residence closed.
With PTI inputs.
