NASHIK: Rainpada village in
Dhule district wore a deserted look on Monday, a day after five men were lynched there by a mob of 1,500 people on suspicion of being child-lifters. Fearing arrest, most of the 750 residents of the village had fled their homes even as the police arrested 23 people and launched a manhunt for nine others who have been identified as part of the lynch mob.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the five victims. The Dhule police maintained tight security in Rainpada but had only empty houses to guard. Some of the houses were not secured properly, an indication of the haste in which the inhabitants had left. Only about 15-20 elderly villagers stayed behind, knowing they would not be arrested.
Police said the villagers could have left for Gujarat, whose border is just 35km away. “We are communicating with the
Gujarat police to help nab the culprits,” said ASP Vivek Pansare.