Villagers lynch six on suspicion of ‘child lifting’ in Jharkhand

Jamshedpur, May 19

Villagers lynched six persons in two places of Rajnagar police station area in Seraikela-Kharswan district on Thursday, suspecting them to be child lifters.

Agitated villagers also torched two vehicles belonging to the police in connection with the incidents.

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Three persons were lynched by the villagers, who suspected them of being child lifters in Nagadih within the limits of Bagbera police station tonight, Superintendent of Police (City) Prasant Anand said.

An old woman was also seriously injured and has been admitted to a hospital here, he said.

Two of the victims were identified as Uttam Kumar Verma, a resident of Jugsalai, and Ganesh Kumar Gupta of Bagbera, the SP (City) said adding, the identity of another victim could not be established.

The SP (City) said when a police team reached the spot, agitated villagers started pelting stones at them, injuring some police personnel. Two vehicles were damaged.

"A police picket has been posted at the spot to maintain law and order," Anand said.

Meanwhile, agitated locals protested the lynching of three persons in Nagadih and blocked the Bistupur-Station road, demanding arrest of those involved.

Protesting against the incident, hundreds of locals blocked the main road between Jugsalai roundabout and Bistupur-Station road, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the incident.

The locals also put up road blockades at several other places in Jugsalai and Bagbera, including Bagbera chowk, disrupting traffic movement.

The situation is under control and negotiations are on with the protesters to withdraw the blockade, police said.

Earlier, two persons were beaten to death in Sosomoli village, while another was lynched in Shobhapur village by local residents, DIG (Kolhan region) Prabhat Kumar told PTI.

Some of the villagers were identified and action would be taken after investigation, Kumar said adding senior officers have gone to the spot with reinforcement.

The incident occurred a week after two persons had been beaten to death and as many injured by a mob on suspicion that they were child lifters in Uranium township of Jadugora in East Singhbhum district.

Following the incident, the police had asked the villagers not to pay heed to rumours. —PTI