KRISHNAGIRI: Two men who were accused of wrongly claiming that they committed a theft at the behest of two other men, were allegedly partially tonsured and beaten using slippers by a mob during a khap panchayat on Saturday. Following a complaint and a counter-complaint, Shoolagiri police have booked seven men in connection with the incident.
According to a police source, G Babu (46) of Shoolagiri, a businessman, went on a pilgrimage with his family on May 25. On June 22 morning, Babu’s brother Kadhar Basha found that Babu’s house had been broken into and the perpetrators stole Rs 10,000 cash.
“He inquired with some people and found out that Mujahid (32) and Nawas (20) had burgled the house. When he confronted the duo who were in an inebriated condition, they said they stole the money at the behest of Shabiullah (35) and Siddhiq (30). Babu, after returning home on July 9, found out that Shabiullah and Siddhiq were wrongly accused by the inebriated duo,” the source said.
A Jamath meeting was convened on Saturday to decide the action to be taken against Mujahid and Nawas for the theft and wrongly accusing Shabiullah and Siddhiq. “Consequently, the mob partially tonsured Mujahid and Nawas. A woman also beat them with slippers. Several people videographed the incident and the clips soon went viral on social media,” the source added.
Following the assault, Mujahid and Nawas lodged a police complaint against Siddhiq, Shabiullah, Kadhar Basha, Afrid and others. The police have registered a case under sections 192 (2), 133, 115 (2), 191 (3), and 118 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act. Meanwhile, based on Babu’s complaint, the police have booked Mujahid and Nawas under sections 331 (iv) and 305 (a) of the BNS Act.