26-year-old lynched on suspicion of theft in Delhi, 3 held

A 26-year-old man was beaten to death in Delhi by a family over theft suspicion. Three arrested, including a minor. The victim had a criminal record.

A 26-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by a family in Uttam Nagar, west Delhi, on Saturday night over suspicion of theft, police said on Sunday, adding that three people were apprehended in the incident including a 17-year-old boy.

Police identified the deceased as Karan Kumar, a resident of Shiv Vihar, who had 10 criminal cases of theft registered against him. (HT Photo)

The man’s family alleged that his feet and hands were tied before he was beaten up, a bike was run over on his genitals and the accused rubbed salt on his wounds. A senior police officer said the preliminary probe revealed that the man was beaten to death by members of a family who allegedly sell illicit liquor in the area, adding that several suspects are at large including some people who worked for the prime accused.

Deputy commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh identified the deceased as Karan Kumar, a resident of Shiv Vihar, who had 10 criminal cases of theft registered against him. Karan was a labourer who was currently unemployed. Police said they arrested a 27-year-old woman, Maina Devi and a 30-year-old man, Rohit Kumar, and apprehended the minor boy in connection with the case.

Police said their control room received a call around 8.30pm and the caller said her son was being beaten up by some people. “When police reached the spot, the control room van had already shifted him to Safdarjung Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival,” Singh said.

Purported videos of the victim being beaten up surfaced on social media where Devi was heard accusing him of theft. Police said multiple people are visible in the video, including the woman’s husband.

Police said a theft was reported at Devi’s residence in December last year and phones and cash, among other household items, werestolen and the family suspected that Karan was involved because of his criminal record and because someone accused him. “Since then, they had been looking for him. However, he did not live in the area and returned only a few days ago. On Saturday night, he was spotted in Shiv Vihar and the family saw him,” the officer said.

The family then allegedly caught him and beat him up. “Preliminary probe revealed that they continued to beat him even as he ran to save himself. We were also told that his feet were tied,” the officer said.

The minor boy works for the family in their illicit liquor business and lives with them, police added. To be sure, the law allows people over the of 14 years to work.

“Devi’s husband Rahul, (single name) was also involved in the murder. He is absconding and teams are looking,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, Karan’s mother Shakuntala Devi, 48, alleged that the accused beat her son with sticks and bricks. “They tied him up and beat him mercilessly with rods, sticks and bricks. They peed on him and made him drink urine and ran a bike over his private parts,” she said. She added that she made calls to the police.

Shakuntala said that she saw her son bled profusely and was semi-conscious state near their house. “I called the police multiple times but they came late,” she said. Police denied the allegation that they came late to the scene.

Locals said the accused were repeat offenders who fought with people regularly. “Karan was involved in crimes but the family is also involved in the illegal trade of liquor,” said a 32-year-old resident of the area, requesting anonymity.

DCP Singh said police registered a case under sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and formed multiple teams to nab the absconding suspects.