Mob lynches rape convict on parole in Jharkhand

A mob of about 150 people, mostly women, thrashed to death a rape convict on Friday when he was on his way to his shanty after getting parole. The mob was allegedly opposed to the idea of the man moving back into their locality.

The incident occurred at Ram Maraiya Basti under Adityapur police station in Seraikela-Kharsawan district.

Ratan Lohar, who was out of jail on parole, was thrashed brutally for several minutes in what appeared to be an incident of mob justice.

The police have arrested two persons for the lynching.

The police said Lohar was convicted for raping six women, including a widow, in Ram Maraiya Basti.

He was trying to enter the basti on Friday when local residents, most of them women, objected. After a heated exchange of words, the agitated crowd started assaulting him with lathis and other metal objects.

Seraikela sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Avinash Kumar along with other police personnel rushed to the area and sent the body for autopsy.

Officer-in-charge of Adityapur police station, Vijay Singh, said that an FIR was lodged against 150 locals, including women, and eight named persons. Two of the accused were arrested and sent to judicial custody on Saturday, he added.

“Basti residents were not ready to allow him to stay at his residence since he was out of jail on parole. They had no objection to his family members staying in the basti but Lohar was not accepted,” a police official said.

The deceased’s family members have alleged that the police was trying to shield the accused in the lynching incident.

Police force has been deployed in the basti and law and order situation is under control.