Man killed in Bhagalpur over molest attempt

PATNA: An irate mob allegedly lynched one Soni Rajpal (28) at a village under the Khareek police station area in Bhagalpur district around 6pm on Sunday after he tried to outrage the modesty of a woman, police said on Monday.
The family members of the woman caught hold of Rajpal and attacked him with stones and bamboo sticks.
Some locals also joined the attackers, who were not in a mood to relent.Rajpal died on the spot. The body of Rajpal, whom police claimed had criminal antecedents, was dumped near the panchayat bhavan on the outskirts of the village. Locals said before entering the house of the woman, Rajpal had also harassed other women during a religious function at the village on Sunday.
Naugachhia superintendent of police Nidhi Rani said 12 people have been made named accused on the statement of the deceased’s wife Soni Devi. An FIR has also been lodged against 10-12 unidentified persons, she said, adding raids were on to arrest the attackers.
Naugachhia SDPO Prevendra Bharti said the deceased had criminal antecedents. At least six cases under different sections of the IPC were lodged against him at the Khareek police station alone, he said, adding Rajpal was earlier arrested in a case lodged under Arms Act. One Ravan, a resident of Khareek village, had earlier opened fire at Rajpal. However, he had then survived the attack.
The SDPO said many of the named accused, who had criminal antecedents, were absconding after the incident. He, however, described Sunday’s incident as fallout of rivalry between two families. Rajpal was active in the area since 2014 and had allegedly demanded extortion money from locals, Bharti told this newspaper over the phone from Naughachhia.