Unchahar station chief replaced amid Raebareli murder probe; police say "no one knew victim's caste"

Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 8 (ANI): Following the investigation into the murder of a 38-year-old man in Raebareli, the Uttar Pradesh police has removed the Unchahar police station chief Sanjay Kumar, suspended five officials and arrested four people in connection with the incident. Around 15 people, who were present at the scene and "failed to stop the incident and inform the police", will also be arrested, Raebareli police officials said.
Officials will be pursuing the case under the National Security Act (NSA) and Gangsters Act, Rarebareli Superintendent of Police Yashveer Singh said. The five accused have been identified as Vijay Singh, Vaibhav Singh, Vipin Maurya, Sahedev Pasi, and Suresh Kumar Maurya and others.
"Soon, the remaining 15-20 people who were present at the scene and failed to fulfil their duties, including failing to stop the incident and inform the police, will also be arrested... Following the arrests, we will file a charge sheet and pursue action under the Gangster Act and the National Security Act... Five personnel have been suspended. The police station chief has been removed and a new one has been appointed", the SP told mediapersons here.
Following the removal of Inspector Sanjay Kumar, Inspector Ajay Rai has been appointed as the new Unchahar police station chief, the SP said.
The police have also said that "no one knew the man or his caste at the scene of the incident", and that the accused were of Maurya, Pasi and other castes.
"No one knew the man or his caste at the scene of the incident. The killers included members of the Maurya and Pasi castes. People from the general caste were also involved in the incident", he said.
On October 2, a Dalit man named Hariom Valmiki was beaten to death by a mob of villagers in the Jamunapur village under Unchahar police station. The man mistaken for a thief by the locals.
Earlier on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and Raebareli MP Rahul Gandhi, condemned the murder of the man and took a veiled jibe at the BJP over incident.
Sharing an X post, Rahul Gandhi, called the incident a "murder of humanity, the Constitution, and justice" and alleging that the marginalised communities in the country are being targeted by the mobs receiving the patronage of those in power.
He wrote, "The brutal murder of Dalit youth Hariom Valmiki in Raebareli is not just the murder of one person - it is the murder of humanity, the Constitution, and justice. Today in India, Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, backward classes, and the poor - every person whose voice is weak, whose share is being snatched away, and whose life is considered cheap - is being targeted."
Notably, the victim's wife, Pinky, has demanded assistance from the government, "My husband was beaten to death. Whatever happened to my husband, the same should happen to those who beat him to death... I need help from the government. I have a daughter...Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi spoke with my in-laws, not with me." (ANI)