In another case of mob lynching in Bihar, three men were beaten to death on suspicion of cattle theft in a village in Saran district in the wee hours on Friday, July 19.
According to reports, locals of Pithori Nandlal village under Baniyapur police station in Saran caught hold three men in the very early morning between 4 and 5 who were allegedly stealing their cattle in a pick up van. Relatives of the victims said that all were drivers and were going in a pick up van to purchase cattle.
Bihar: Three people were beaten to death by locals in Baniyapur, Saran on suspicion of cattle theft, earlier today. Family members in mourning. pic.twitter.com/Ua5DCgrckr
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2019
Police said three people were lynched at a village in Bihar’s Saran district Friday morning by a mob that caught hold of them while they were allegedly stealing cattle in the pick-up van. As the house owner raised alarm, several villagers gathered and beat up the three with wooden sticks. While two died on the spot, the third died on way to a hospital.
Among three deceased, two were from Hindu Nat community and one was from Muslim community. The bodies have been sent for postmortem examination, and an investigation in the incident is underway.
Saran Superintendent of Police Harikishore Rai said: “We are trying to talk to villagers and find antecedents of the victims. Prima facie, it looks a case of cattle theft and people taking law in their hands”. The bodies have been sent for postmortem.
The deceased have been identified as Raju Nat, Videsh Nat and Naushad Qureshi.
He said two of the deceased were beaten to death at the village, while another succumbed to injuries when he was being taken to hospital by family members. All the deceased belonged to Paigambarpur village.
Relatives of the victims have also approached police saying the three had been drivers of pick-up vans and had been mistaken for thieves.
An FIR has been registered and seven persons have been arrested. Police are investigating the case.
