Man lynched for revenge in UP; 18 held

A 48-year-old man was lynched here in broad daylight allegedly by a group of people, including women, seeking revenge for a 2009 murder, the police said on Wednesday.

The victim, Sarpanch Mahavat, was brutally attacked on Monday by a group of over three dozen men and women armed with sticks in Bhaingaon village under Beniganj police station limits.

Sarpanch was convicted of killing one Rampal in 2009 and had served a 13-year jail sentence. After his release, he had been earning a livelihood by working as a street vendor.

Hardoi Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar Jadaun said 18 people have been arrested based on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.

A case has been registered in this regard under relevant sections of the BNS, including 190 (unlawful assembly), 191 (rioting), and 103 (murder), against 12 named and 25 to 30 unidentified persons at Beniganj police station. During the course of the investigation, six more have been identified and arrested.