Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was on Saturday detained as he came out of the party office in Lucknow to visit Fatehpur to meet the family of a Dalit Hariom Valmiki, 38, a Fatehpur resident, who was mistaken for a thief and allegedly lynched in Rae Bareli on October 3.

A police force remained deployed since morning and barricades were placed on all roads around the Congress office. As soon as Rai, along with senior party leaders including Naseemuddin Siddiqui and Sitapur MP Rakesh Rathore came out, the policemen stopped their vehicle and took Rai and a few of his supporters into a bus. They were later set free.

“No one spoke on the death of the Dalit man. Mayawati kept mum over the sad incident and was busy addressing her rally. The BJP stopped a Congress delegation on October 10 and now as I tried to go and meet the family, the BJP has put a police force to stop me,” Ajay Rai alleged after he was detained. Congress workers raised slogans against the government and for a few minutes there was an affray between Congress workers and cops.

“We are going to Fatehpur to meet the family and support them financially. Such an act by the state government shows they are afraid. Despite all this, Congress will continue to raise voice for the poor and suppressed,” the UP Congress chief claimed. “We stand with the family of Hariom Valmiki. Dalits are being killed in the state. We will ensure justice for the family,” Rai said. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also spoken to the family over the telephone and assured them all help.