Even as India is moving through a lockdown, a man was lynched and another was seriously injured when a mob attacked them for allegedly trying to steal goats in Jharkhand’s Dumka district, reported The Telegraph India.
The incident took place at the Jhilmili village, which falls under the Kathikund police station. According to Superintendent of Police Ambar Lakra, initial investigations revealed that the villagers thrashed the two persons, Subhan Miya (40) and Dular Mridha with sticks after they were informed by neighbours that the men were stealing goats. Some villagers said they allegedly spotted Miya and Mridha cutting up the goat outside the village by some men who surrounded them and started calling them thieves. This is when a crowd gathered and the two were dragged into the village and tied to a tree and beaten up brutally.
SP Ambar Lakra said, “The two men were attacked when they were trying to steal goats grazing in the field. The villagers woke up after hearing the bleating of the goats. They surrounded the duo and beat them up. By the time police arrived at the spot, Subhan Miya was already dead.”
Dular Mirdha was taken to the Sadar hospital in a critical condition after the assault.
Kathikund police station officer-in-charge Tanvir Alam said that a “few people” had been taken into custody and a case had been lodged in the matter. He said, “Raids are on to arrest the others involved in the crime.”
Villagers said Mirdha had tried to escape when the duo were caught stealing. He was chased, pinned down to the ground and assaulted.
The police also said that a clash had broken out among the families of the victims and the attackers at the Sadar hospital, where Subhan Miya’s body was taken for a post-mortem.
As per The New Indian Express, the SP said that two people including the owner of the goat, had been arrested while the search for others was still on. He added that an FIR was lodged from both sides to reach into the depth of the matter.
“An FIR has been lodged from both sides, the villagers and also from the victim’s side. At least four persons have been named in the FIR along with 15 unknown people. Those who took the law into their hands will not be spared,” he said.
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