PATNA: A man was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of being a thief in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district, police said on Sunday.
The incident happened late on Saturday in Yogia village, Rajkhand North Panchayat, about 70 km from the state capital. The attackers continued to beat the victim throughout the night, accusing him of stealing a tractor.
Locals said the victim's repeated pleas to spare him were ignored as the attackers kept beating him until he lost consciousness. His feet and hands were tied with rope to prevent him from escaping. A video of the incident went viral on social media, prompting the police to take immediate action.
The deceased has been identified as Shambhu Sahni. Locals said Sahni’s two accomplices managed to escape from the scene of the crime. Police said they reached the spot after receiving information and took the injured to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Abhijeet Alkesh, the station house officer (SHO) of Aurai police station in Muzaffarpur district, said two suspects have been detained for interrogation in the case.
"Nobody is supposed to take the law into their own hands. Those involved in the incident will be prosecuted under the provisions of law," he added.
The tractor's owner told the police that he woke up after hearing some noise outside. He spotted three men attempting to steal his tractor, which was parked outside. One of them was caught when he raised an alarm, but his two accomplices managed to flee, he said.