Thaindian News

Patna, May 6 (IANS) In yet another case of lynching in Bihar, a Dalit youth was tortured and beaten to death for allegedly stealing a water pump, police said Tuesday. Pappu Paswan, in his 20s, was beaten to death with bricks and bamboo sticks Sunday night by a mob in Mallikpura village in Vaishali district, about 50 km from here.

Police sources said Paswan was tied to an electric pole and thrashed badly after he was caught allegedly stealing a water pump.

Vashali Superintendent of Police Paras Nath said a police team reached the village after being informed and untied the victim. However, he soon succumbed to his injuries.

Following a complaint by the victim’s father, Vishnu Paswan, police arrested Ram Nandan Singh, the village postmaster. He was one of the 10 suspects in the case.

Singh has filed a counter complaint of theft against Pappu.

Mob violence in the name of justice is common in rural Bihar. Over three dozen lynching incidents were reported last year and over two dozen cases have been reported in the last four months.

Two days ago, three suspected criminals were lynched by a mob at Deodatwa village in East Champaran district.

Last month, Ashok Sahni, who belonged to a backward caste, was beaten to death for falling in love with a girl from a different community.

The worst lynching case was reported in September last year when 10 men from the underprivileged Kueri community were beaten to death in Vaishali district on suspicion that they were thieves. Later, a probe found that the men were innocent.