RANCHI: In yet another incident of mob-lynching in Palamu, a man was beaten to death by the villagers on suspicion of stealing battery from a tractor parked on the road side.
The incident took place late Saturday night at Teliyahi village, under Padwa police station area in Palamu.
According to eyewitnesses, the villagers caught a young man on suspicion of battery theft and brutally beat him to death. The deceased, said to be the only son in the family, has been identified as Pawan Ram, a resident of a nearby village, Murma.
Locals claimed that the youth was attempting to steal a battery from a tractor parked in the village. Some of the villagers noticed him and apprehended him on the basis of suspicion, they said.
“As the news spread in the village, a crowd quickly gathered at the spot. The man was then tied with a rope and brutally assaulted with sticks, kicks and punches. He kept-on begging for mercy, but the mob's fury showed no restraint,” said a local resident requesting anonymity.
As the incident was brought to the notice of local police, they rushed to the spot, rescued the man from the villagers and immediately sent him to Medinirai Medical College Hospital for treatment. Doctors at the hospital declared him brought dead.
According to doctors, the man sustained multiple injuries across his body. The police have kept the body for a postmortem, and further investigation will be done based on the report.
Padwa police station in-charge Anchit Kumar informed on Sunday that a report of a man being beaten by the villagers was received late Saturday night. “Based on that information, police took immediate action, rushed to the spot and rescued the man from the mob. The man was immediately sent to the hospital, where he was declared brought dead by the doctors,” said the Officer in charge.
An investigation has been launched into the matter and people involved in the crime are being identified, he added.
According to police sources, one person has been detained and is being questioned. Palau SP, Rishma Ramesan also asserted that a man has been beaten to death and the case is under investigation.
“An FIR has been registered at Padwa Police station against four named persons and others, and the case is under investigation. While the incident was initially reported as a theft-related matter, preliminary findings suggest that the deceased was in a relationship with the niece of one of the accused and was allegedly assaulted by family members and others when he went to meet her on Saturday night," the SP said.
One suspect has been detained, and further action is underway, the SP added.
According to the SP, the post-mortem will be conducted under the supervision of a magistrate. Police have been deployed in the village to maintain peace and order.