Bengal mob attacks man on suspicion of kidnapping children

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Amid a series of assaults and lynching attempts in north Bengal in recent weeks, a youth was severely beaten up by a mob in Alipurduar district on suspicion of being a child-kidnapper, police said on Sunday.

"A youth was severely beaten up by a mob in Alipurduar district's Majher-dabri tea estate on Saturday night on suspicion of being a child-kidnapper. Some locals later rescued him and kept him locked inside a primary school building," police said.

The mob that surrounded the school building also allegedly attacked the police and demanded strict action against child kidnappers when the officers from local police station arrived to arrest the accused.

Some locals even chased the police vehicles and pelted stones at them.

According to local sources, the man was seen roaming around in the tea garden area on Saturday evening. Some locals suspected him to be a child-kidnapper after he failed to give satisfactory answers regarding his presence there.

A rumour of another child-kidnapper being spotted was spread in the district's Lichutala area on Saturday night.

On July 24, six youths selling cookware from a van in Alipurduar district's Madarihat became the victim of mob violence as some locals suddenly attacked the youths, suspecting them to be child-kidnappers.

Three of the youths managed to flee but the rest were caught by the mob and beaten up badly before being rescued by police.

On July 22, a middle aged man was stoned to death by locals in Jalpaiguri district's Nagrakata on suspicion of being a child-kidnapper. Six persons have been arrested over the incident.

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