Another youth lynched in Bihar for theft

Sitamarhi, Sep 18 (UNI) In yet another case of lynching, a youth was beaten to death by irate villagers on charges of theft at Patahi village in Sitamarhi district yesterday.

Police today said a group of about a dozen local goons, all residents of the same village, charged Rakesh, the victim, with stealing an idol from a local temple and ransacked his house before beating him up. The youth died on the spot.

Later, the villagers dumped the body on one side of the main road from where it was recovered today.

Incidentally, police said village Sarpanch Premchand Singh had earlier claimed to have found out the name of Rakesh by performing 'Shagun' and held him responsible for the theft in the temple. On the basis of the inference drawn by the Sarpanch the villagers lynched him.

Five people, including the Sarpanch, were later arrested and altogether 12 people named as accused in the FIR at Bairganiya police station.

Police Superintendent M R Nayak said the deceased, a daily wage earner, had no criminal antecedents and investigation was still on to find out whether the idol was actually stolen from the temple.

Meanwhile, additional police force, including SAP and CRPF personnel, were deployed in the village where the situation was now stated to be under control.

UNI