A 25-year-old Dalit man from Jharkhand’s Palamu district was allegedly lynched by a mob on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, said police sources.
Pawan Kumar was tied to a cot and beaten up by a crowd, who accused him of stealing a tractor battery.
Police said that the lynching could have been related to a love angle, although the mob accused the victim of theft.
“We are probing the crime from all angles,” Palamu SP Reeshma Ramesan told TOI. One person has been detained in relation to the crime.
Police received a call about the incident around midnight. However, upon arrival, an aggressive mob was seen to be surrounding the victim. Police rescued Kumar and took him to the hospital, but he was declared dead on arrival.
Police said no battery was found in the possession of the victim and described the theft allegation as a 'deception' to mislead the investigation.
Police are also probing a possible 'love angle' to the incident. Police sources suspect that the killing could be linked to a personal relationship and may involve the girl's family.
An FIR was lodged by the victim's family and a case has been registered under Section 103(2) of the BNS, which pertains to mob lynching.