LUCKNOW: Four men--two Hindus and two Muslims--were thrashed, dragged and abused by a mob of villagers on charges of cattle theft in Hathras, 200 km from Delhi, early on Monday morning.
The men were assaulted after the residents of Nagla Mandhati village in Purdilnagar locality of Hathras caught them transporting a dead buffalo in a pickup van.
The infuriated villagers vented their ire on the four men, charging them with stealing the animal and killing it. Meanwhile, someone informed the police at Hasayan police station. Police rushed to the village to control the violent mob which was beating up the four men.
After receiving assurances from the police, the mob handed over the four men to the cops.
The villagers alleged that the buffalo had been poisoned by the four men.
The police took the men to Hasayan police station, around 50 km from where the incident took place. They claimed that the buffalo owner was called to establish the facts.