Man lynched on train for sexually assaulting 11-year-old girl

A 34-year-old railway contract labourer was beaten to death by fellow passengers on Humsafar Express, between Lucknow and Kanpur, after he allegedly sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl, police said on Friday.

The deceased has been identified as Prashant Kumar, a native of Bihar. He was caught by the victim's family and other passengers after the incident.

Additional DG (Railway) Prakash D said Kumar had boarded the Humsafar Express from Siwan, Bihar, along with the victim's family. He allegedly offered his berth to the 11-year-old girl and sexually assaulted her while her mother was away, he added.

The girl reported the incident to her mother, who informed her family and other passengers. Enraged by the incident, the victim's family and passengers thrashed Kumar. He was taken into custody by the GRP at Kanpur Central station. Later, Kumar was taken to KPM Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said the officer.

The victim's mother has filed an FIR against Kumar under Section 74 (criminal force to any woman intending to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the ADG said.

He added that the FIR has been transferred to GRP, Lucknow, for further investigation.

A post-mortem was conducted by a panel of three doctors in Kanpur and the body was later handed over to Kumar's family.