Two people were lynched in the early hours of Thursday in two separate incidents in Assam – one in Darrang district and other in Tamulpur district – over suspicion of theft.
Majibul Haque, 45, was killed in Padmajhar village after he was allegdly found to be stealing goats. In another incident, Binod Brahma, 27, was killed in Tinipukhuri village, over suspicion of trying to steal from a home in the village.
A total of 14 people were arrested in connection with Haque’s death from the Padmajhar and neighbouring village, while Tamulpur police have apprehended three people in connection with the second death. Hunt for the main accused in Brahma’s death is on.
Darrang Superintendent of Police Prakash Sonowal, Haque was not a resident of the village where he was killed, and lived nearby in Naopota. The incident took place early in the morning around 3.15 AM.
Sonowal said that he was trying to take the goats out of someone’s property when he was caught. As he tried to flee there was ruckus and people gathered there. He had succumbed to his injuries after the police arrived at the spot and took him to a nearby hospital.
Speaking on Brahma’s death, Tamulpur SP Pankaj Yadav said that he had allegedly entered a home with the intention of stealing when he was caught by the household members, who along with the neighbours thrashed him, and he died on the spot.
The killings come days after an incident in Hojai district where Hifzur Rahman was lynched on August 12 on alleged suspicion of cattle theft. Eight people were apprehended in connection with the killing.
Earlier, on July 24, a man named Saddam Hussain was lynched in Morigaon district over cattle theft suspicion. Five people have been arrested in the case.
Meanwhile, in the backdrop of the lynchings, Assam DGP G P Singh said that “lawful action has been taken” in all such cases reported so far. He told IE that Superintendents of Police have been instructed to “take action in such case irrespective of caste, creed, religion”.