Man Lynched by Mob in Bihar’s Araria Over Suspicion of Cow Theft

A man was lynched by a mob in Bihar’s Araria district over suspicion of cattle theft.

(Photo: The Quint)

A man was lynched by a mob in Bihar's Araria district over suspicion of cattle theft, NDTV reported on 3 January.

In videos shot by attackers, 55-year-old Mohd Kabul can be seen being kicked in the face, thrashed with sticks and repeatedly called “chor” (thief), according to NDTV.

The mob was led by a man named Muslim Miyan who had earlier reported a case of cattle theft against the victim. In the video, the mob can be heard laughing and provoking each other to keep thrashing Kabul. Even as Kabul pleaded and tried to defend himself, the crowd removed his pants and continued to assault him.

Kabul, a former village head, can be heard in the video saying he has no reason to steal anyone's cattle. All the assailants were known to the victim and belonged to the same community, NDTV reported, quoting KD Singh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Araria.

The incident took place on 29 December in Simarbani village near Patna, according to NDTV. The report added that although faces of people can be seen in the video, police are yet to make any arrests.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Araria, KD Singh said that an FIR has been lodged against "unknown persons" since the identity of the assailants could not be confirmed from the video footage.

"There is tension in Simarbani. Kabul's relatives are angry and demanding that a named FIR be registered. We have assured them that the same would be done as soon as we get evidence against any suspect", Singh said.

District Magistrate Himanshu Sharma said he was "not aware of the details of the incident but instructions have been issued for maintaining order in the area and bringing the guilty to book at the earliest".

On Wednesday, 2 January, violence erupted in the state’s Nalanda district, where a mob, infuriated by the murder of a local RJD leader, beat two people including a minor boy. The second victim was critically injured.

The minor boy was reportedly related to a suspect in the killing of the RJD leader. Indal Paswan, an office-bearer in the RJD's SC/ST cell, was ambushed by unidentified assailants and sprayed with bullets when he was on his way home at Maghanda Sarai village in the Deep Nagar police station area of the district after attending a function on Tuesday night.

Opposition leader and RJD Chief Tejashwi Yadav attacked the Nitish Kumar government and accused it of turning Bihar into 'Lynch-Vihar'.