LUCKNOW:The main accused in the Rae Bareli Dalit lynching case was arrested following an 'encounter' late Friday evening, police said.
According to police sources, the prime accused, Deepak Agrahari—a resident of Majra Pachkhara village—had been absconding since the incident and carried a reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to his arrest.
Notably, 38-year-old Hariom was lynched by a mob in Dandepur Jamunapur village of Rae Bareli after he was allegedly mistaken for a drone thief.
Hariom, believed to be mentally unstable, was reportedly on his way to Amiliya ka Purva village, where his estranged wife and daughter live with his in-laws. He was allegedly slapped, kicked, stripped, beaten with belts and canes, and paraded through the village by a mob of about 100 people, who demanded that he reveal the identity of his supposed accomplice.
The mob later abandoned him near the railway tracks outside the village, leaving him to die.
A joint team from Dalmau and Unchahar police stations, along with Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel and surveillance units, traced Deepak to the Ganga Ghat area in Dalmau after receiving a tip-off.
When police attempted to apprehend him, Deepak allegedly tried to flee and opened fire at the officers. “The accused was shot in the left leg when police personnel returned fire in self-defence. He was initially taken to the Community Health Centre in Dalmau and later referred to the district hospital in Rae Bareli. No police personnel were injured during the encounter,” said an official.
Rae Bareli Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjeev Kumar Sinha stated that a total of 12 individuals have been arrested so far in connection with the case, while 10–15 others have been identified.
“Raids are being carried out in other districts and states. The remaining accused will be arrested soon, and strict action will be taken against them,” he said.