In a shocking incident of mob violence in Jharkhand, a woman was allegedly lynched by villagers on suspicion of child theft in Labga village under Bishunpur block of Gumla district.
The victim, believed to be mentally challenged, has not yet been identified. The incident occurred late Sunday night when the woman was spotted wandering in the village.
According to eyewitnesses, some villagers grew suspicious and raised an alarm, after which a mob gathered at the spot. The woman was reportedly stripped, tied with a rope and brutally beaten by the crowd.
After receiving information about the incident, police reached the village and rescued the woman from the mob. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment but succumbed to her injuries on Monday morning.
Local residents said rumours of child theft had been circulating in the area for several days, creating panic among villagers. A villager said that the woman was seen roaming in the village in the early hours of Sunday, which led to suspicion among villagers who then gathered and began assaulting her without verifying the facts.
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He added that the woman repeatedly claimed she was innocent, but the mob ignored her pleas and continued beating her with bamboo sticks.
Confirming the incident, Superintendent of Police, Haris Bin Zaman, said that an FIR has been registered against more than 20 unidentified persons and efforts are underway to arrest those involved.
He said four to five key accused have already been taken into custody while the identification of others is ongoing.
Police said they are conducting a detailed investigation and trying to trace the woman’s family members. He assured that strict action would be taken against all those found guilty in the case.
The woman’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination while attempts are being made to establish her identity.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over mob violence in Jharkhand. Last month alone, nearly 20 such incidents were reported across five districts, in which more than three dozen people were assaulted and injured.
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