RANCHI: Two youths were allegedly beaten to death after being caught red-handed stealing goats from the house of a villager at Jorsa village in Jharkhand. The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday nearly 15 km from Chakulia Police station in Jamshedpur.
According to police, one of the deceased, identified as Kushak Behera, died on the spot, while the other one, Bhola Nath Mahto, succumbed to his injuries at Mahatma Gandhi Madical College and Hospital later that morning.
Locals informed that, the two suspects, said to be the residents of Jeeerapara village in Chakulia, were caught making an attempt to steal goats from a house.
In between, the bell tied around the neck of the goat started ringing, due to which, Hargovind Nayak, the house owner, woke up Nayak came out of the house to check whether everything was alright with the goats, and saw the two youths were taking away three goats on a bike.
The house owner, caught hold of them and alerted the other villagers, who gathered there immediately and held the suspects captive.
The mob then started beating them mercilessly with kicks, punches and bamboo sticks, resulting into Behera’s death on the spot, they said.
“After Kushak Behra went uncurious, the villagers stopped beating him, but it was too late,” said the villager requesting anonymity.
Later, the police were also informed, he added.
After receiving the information, police reached the spot and rushed Mahto to hospital, where he also succumbed to his injuries.
“Two villagers had entered the village allegedly to steal goats, during which, they were caught by the goat owner and was thrashed badly with the help of other villagers. Both the youths died in this incident, one of them died on the spot while the other one succumbed to his injuries during treatment in hospital” said SP (Rural) Rishabh Garg.
As of now, five people have been taken into custody, while others are being identified, he added.
The SP further informed that no written complaint has been received so far, and legal action will be taken after receiving the same.