Bengal lynching case: Police book 150 ‘unknown’ people, produce three arrested in court

Police on Thursday registered an FIR against around 150 “unknown” people in connection with the lynching of a man suspected of child lifting at Habibpur in north Bengal’s Malda district the previous day.

Three people arrested earlier were also produced in court. They were remanded in police custody for seven days.

The three — Basu Biswas, Choton Singha and Jiban Haldar — were arrested on the basis of video footage of the lynching, which occurred in Bulbulchandi-Dubapara village. They were booked under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Sources said the unidentified man was accused of child lifting by angry villagers on Wednesday, before being tied to an electricity post and fatally beaten up. Upon receiving a tip-off, police rushed to the scene and took the injured man to Malda Medical College and Hospital. He, however, died soon afterwards.

“A scrutiny of the video footage revealed direct involvement of the three accused. We weren’t able to ascertain the victim’s identity until Thursday afternoon,” an officer of Habibpur police station said on condition of anonymity. The involvement of 150 people was also estimated from the video, he added.

Sources said Malda police conducted raids at Bulbulchandi-Dubapara village on Wednesday night in an attempt to identify others involved in the incident. Many fled from the scene, fearing arrest.

The district police superintendent could not be reached for comment.

The incident, which came five days after the lynching of two men in Assam’s Karbi Anglong, has sent shock waves through the state. “We organised a rally to make people aware of the disastrous effects of spreading rumours. Local club members and students participated in the rally,” said Subhajit Jana, who is officiating for the block development officer in Habibpur.

“We have asked people to inform police or the block development officer if they come across suspicious-looking people in the area, instead of resorting to vigilantism,” he added.

There have been no incidents of child lifting in the area in recent times.