Congress to protest at Jantar Mantar on July 27 over Meerut Dalit student murder
Synopsis
A Congress delegation heading to Meerut to meet the family of murdered Dalit student Lalita Gautam was stopped by police at the Kashi toll plaza — and now the party is taking the fight to Delhi's Jantar Mantar on July 27. With demands ranging from ₹1 crore compensation to an SSP suspension, the case is fast becoming a Dalit-rights flashpoint in UP politics.
Key Takeaways
Congress will hold a protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 27 July demanding justice for Lalita Gautam , a 20-year-old Dalit student murdered in Meerut, UP .
UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam alleged that a party delegation including Lok Sabha MPs Imran Masood and Tanuj Punia was blocked by police at the Kashi toll plaza .
Congress has demanded ₹1 crore compensation for the victim's family, a government job for one family member, and suspension of the local SSP .
Lalita Gautam went missing on 15 May ; her body was found on 17 May in the Rohta area of Meerut.
Main accused Ankush Kumar , 23 , was arrested on 18 May ; a second person was held for allegedly destroying evidence.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the BJP government of displaying an 'anti-Dalit' attitude in handling the case.
The Indian National Congress has announced a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on 27 July to demand justice for Lalita Gautam, a 20-year-old Dalit student from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, whose body was found on 17 May — two days after she went missing. The announcement was made by Uttar Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam on Monday, 13 July, following what he described as a police blockade that prevented a Congress delegation from reaching the victim's family.
Congress Delegation Stopped at Kashi Toll Plaza
A Congress delegation led by Rajendra Pal Gautam and comprising senior leaders including Lok Sabha MPs Imran Masood and Tanuj Punia, Rajya Sabha MP Karamveer Singh Bauddh, and All India Congress Committee (AICC) OBC Department chairman Anil Jaihind attempted to visit the victim's family in Meerut. According to Gautam, the group was halted by police at the Kashi toll plaza and denied entry.
'Police kept us waiting for hours, giving assurances that they would allow us to meet the victim's family but then denied permission for the same, citing law and order conditions,' Gautam said. The delegation's visit was blocked mid-day, he claimed.
Congress Demands Compensation, Job, and SSP Suspension
Gautam put forward a set of demands on behalf of the party: a financial compensation of ₹1 crore to the victim's family, a government job for one family member, and a swift investigation to bring the accused to justice. He also demanded the suspension of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) over alleged excesses against demonstrators.
'Action should be taken against the SSP, who openly took the law into his own hands. Why has no case been registered against him? Why has he not been suspended?' he said.
What Happened to Lalita Gautam
According to police, Lalita Gautam went missing from the TP Nagar area of Meerut on 15 May. Her body was recovered two days later from the Rohta area. The main accused, Ankush Kumar, 23, was arrested on 18 May. A second individual was subsequently detained on charges of allegedly destroying evidence. The incident triggered protests by the victim's family and members of the local community.
Congress Chief Kharge Targets BJP Government
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had earlier accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government of ignoring the family's grievances, stating the episode exposed the ruling dispensation's 'anti-Dalit' face. The Congress has framed the case as emblematic of what it describes as a pattern of indifference toward Dalit victims under the current state administration.
With the 27 July protest at Jantar Mantar now confirmed, the case is set to intensify as a flashpoint in the ongoing political confrontation between the Congress and the BJP over Dalit rights in Uttar Pradesh ahead of future electoral cycles.
Point of View
The main accused was arrested within days, yet no accountability has been established for the alleged police excesses on protesters. The demand for an SSP suspension is the sharper edge here — if substantiated, it points to a systemic problem that goes beyond one case. The Jantar Mantar protest on July 27 will test whether Congress can convert genuine Dalit grievance into sustained political pressure, or whether this remains a one-cycle news event.
NationPress
13 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Lalita Gautam and what happened to her?
Lalita Gautam was a 20-year-old Dalit student from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, who went missing from the TP Nagar area on 15 May. Her body was recovered two days later on 17 May from the Rohta area of Meerut. The main accused, Ankush Kumar, 23, was arrested on 18 May.
Why is Congress holding a protest at Jantar Mantar on July 27?
The Indian National Congress announced the protest to demand justice for Lalita Gautam and to highlight what it describes as the BJP government's indifference toward Dalit victims in Uttar Pradesh. The protest follows an incident in which a Congress delegation was allegedly stopped by police from meeting the victim's family.
What are Congress's demands in the Lalita Gautam case?
Congress has demanded ₹1 crore financial compensation for the victim's family, a government job for one family member, a speedy investigation to bring all perpetrators to justice, and the suspension of the local SSP over alleged excesses against demonstrators.
Who was in the Congress delegation stopped at Kashi toll plaza?
The delegation was led by UP Congress in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam and included Lok Sabha MPs Imran Masood and Tanuj Punia, Rajya Sabha MP Karamveer Singh Bauddh, and AICC OBC Department chairman Anil Jaihind, among other senior leaders.
What has Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said about the case?
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of turning a blind eye to the victim's family's grievances, stating the handling of the case exposed the ruling dispensation's 'anti-Dalit' face.
