BALASORE: Three more suspects in the gruesome lynching of a 36-year-old man over alleged cattle smuggling were arrested by Balasore police, taking the total number of arrests to six on Saturday.
Police said more persons could be involved in the incident. The victim, Sk Makandar Mahammad, a helper with a pick-up van in which cattle were allegedly being transported, was brutally assaulted on the night of January 13 and he later succumbed to the injuries.
The FIR lodged by the victim’s brother, Sk Jitendar Mahammad, stated that a group intercepted the pick-up van near a gym at Sahada under Sadar police limits at around 5 am. While the driver fled the spot, Makandar became the target of the vigilantes, who assaulted him so brutally that he later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Graphic videos of the group brutally attacking the victim have since gone viral.
Police sources said the accused were chasing the pick-up van, which was travelling from Gopalpur towards Balasore, and intercepted it near Saragaon and Ishani under Sadar police station limits. While the driver managed to escape, helper Makandar was captured and assaulted. A PCR van later reached the spot and rushed him to the district headquarters hospital, where he died during treatment on January 14.
The deceased’s wife and relatives also staged a protest in front of the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP), demanding justice and strict action against the accused.
Based on the complaint filed by the victim’s brother, a murder case was registered against five persons under Section 103(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The first three suspects were arrested earlier. Balasore Sadar SDPO Subhrangshu Sekhar Nayak said more arrests would be made soon.
All six accused were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected, said police.
The district police, with assistance from the state police, are monitoring the sensitive videos that have gone viral on social media platforms.