Accused of stealing mobile phone, man lynched at Tangra construction site

KOLKATA: A man in his 30s was allegedly lynched inside a construction site at Tangra on Monday night on allegations of stealing a mobile phone from one of the security guards at the site earlier in the day.
Probing into the case, cops on Monday night arrested six men, all guards and employees working at the construction site and shut down the project location on Tuesday.

The incident comes a month after a 25-year-old youth was allegedly lynched at Kalighat after being accused of stealing a mobile. Two men were arrested in that incident. Multiple incidents of lynching and assault have also been reported from across the city and suburbs — all triggered by rumours of the victims being child-lifters or thieves — over the past two months. Lalbazar said a drive against mob justice was on in full swing.
In Monday’s incident, the identity of the youth could not be ascertained till late on Tuesday as cops sent his body for post mortem and six people were remanded in police custody.

“We received a call late in the evening alerting us about someone being mercilessly beaten inside a construction project compound. When we reached the construction site around 10.30pm, we found the man severely injured and in an unconscious state. We rescued him from there and took him to NRS Hospital, where he was declared dead. The guards and other employees, who were actively involved in the crime, were subsequently arrested,” said a senior officer of Pragati Maidan police station.
On Tuesday, TOI visited the 3.67 acres land where the incident took place. Cops were posted outside the site and work was stalled for the day. “The site has been shut as our officers probing the case are questioning people who were on duty on Monday,” said a police officer.
Anima Biswas, who runs a local eatery near the construction site said she had heard some labourers and guards had caught a thief while he was trying to flee the site after stealing a mobile phone. “I had heard he was being assaulted inside the site. But on Tuesday morning I learnt the man was killed,” said Biswas.
Another engineer from a neighbouring construction site said theft incidents are on rise as a number of local men often sneak into the premises stealing iron rods, metal equipment, cash and mobile phones belonging to the employees and guards.