HYDERABAD: A person who visited Jiyapally village of Bibinagar was lynched to death on Tuesday night by villagers who suspected him of being a criminal. 34-year-old Nimmala Balakrishna, an auto driver, and resident of Ghatkesar police limits came to Jiyapally on Tuesday night to meet his relatives.
After meeting his relatives, Balakrishna was returning to his residence. Bibinagar SI said that unidentified villagers, who were keeping a night vigil patrolling the streets, detained Balakrishna and asked for his details. While the victim was explaining, some miscreants assaulted him with lethal weapons. He collapsed on the ground unconscious.
The villagers informed the matter to Balakrishna’s relatives after some of them recognised him as a visitor to one Kumar’s residence. Kumar and others were shifting him to Ghatkesar when he died on the way. The medical emergency service staff was alerted by locals. The staff visited the place and declared the victim dead.
“Preliminary reports revealed that the villagers had beaten Balakrishna on suspicion that he was a thief. We are yet to identify the miscreants,’’ the SI said. Rachakonda commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said while villagers can do night patrolling as a precaution, they should not take law into their own hands.