Rahul Gandhi meets the family of a Dalit man who was recently shot dead in Salon area, during his visit to Raebareli.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: Former Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused the Raebareli district police chief of ‘shielding’ the mastermind in the murder of a Dalit youth at a village in the district a few days back.
Rahul, who was an MP from Raebareli, on Tuesday, visited the family of the youth Arjun Pasi, a resident of Pichwaria village in the district, and assured them justice.
Later speaking to reporters, Rahul said that the district police had failed to take prompt action in the matter. ‘’A Dalit youth was murdered…..the superintendent of police is not taking any action against the mastermind….his family is being threatened,’’ he said.
‘’The family wants justice. we will not back out until the family gets justice,’’ the Congress leader added. The locals raised slogans in favour of the Congress leader when he was visiting the family.
The BJP leaders, however, dismissed the allegations that the police were shielding the mastermind and said that the police had acted swiftly in the matter and accused Rahul Gandhi of trying to gain ''political mileage'' out of the incident.
Arjun Pasi was shot dead on the night of August 11 near his village. The local people had held demonstrations and blocked roads in protest against the killing and demanding arrest of the accused persons.
An FIR was registered in this connection against 12 people. The police had arrested six people and had launched a search for the others.
Earlier the senior leader was accorded a rousing reception upon his arrival at the Fursatganj Airport. UP Congress president Ajay Rai and other senior party leaders were present when Rahul visited the family of the murdered Dalit youth.