Mob lynches man in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi; 18 arrested

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.

Mahavat 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 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.

Heavy police presence is being maintained in the village to check for any untoward incidents.

Villagers alleged that the attackers acted without fear, even in the presence of police personnel.

The post-mortem report of the victim has revealed injuries by blunt objects.

The police are trying to arrest the other accused involved in the incident, and CCTV footage is being examined.