In Bihar’s Saran, three lynched on suspicion of cattle theft

Police said two of the deceased were beaten to death at the village, while another succumbed to injuries when he was being taken to a hospital by family members. (ANI)

Three men, two from Nat community, were beaten to death by locals in Baniyapur area of Bihar’s Saran district on suspicion of cattle theft early Friday morning. The bodies have been sent for postmortem examination, and an investigation in the incident is underway. The incident took place in the wee hours at Paigambarpur village under Baniapur police station.

Police said three people were lynched at a village in Bihar’s Saran district Friday morning by a mob that caught hold of them while they were allegedly stealing cattle in the pick-up van. As the house owner raised alarm, several villagers gathered and beat up the three with wooden sticks. While two died on the spot, the third died on way to a hospital.

Saran Superintendent of Police Harikishore Rai said: “We are trying to talk to villagers and find antecedents of the victims. Prima facie, it looks a case of cattle theft and people taking law in their hands”. The bodies have been sent for postmortem.

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The deceased have been identified as Raju Nat, Videsh Nat and Naushad Qureshi.

He said two of the deceased were beaten to death at the village, while another succumbed to injuries when he was being taken to hospital by family members. All the deceased belonged to Paigambarpur village.

Relatives of the victims have also approached police saying the three had been drivers of pick-up vans and had been mistaken for thieves. The FIR has not been filed yet.