A 24-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death on Monday for informing authorities about the return of two families from Maharashtra to their Bihar village, resulting in officials whisking them away for a Covid-19 test last week, and advising them to stay in quarantine, the victim’s family and the police said.
Two persons have been arrested in the case.
Babloo Kumar, the victim, also worked in Maharashtra’s Pune and returned to Madhaul village in Sitamarhi district two months back. His brother, Guddu, said Kumar tipped off government officials about the return of Munna Mahto and Sudhir Kumar.
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Guddu said a medical and police team took the families for tests and released them on March 25 with the advice of home quarantine. He said Kumar was assaulted on Monday. He was rushed a hospital in Muzaffarpur that declared him brought dead.
Police registered a case of murder against Thaga Mahto, Sudhir Kumar, Vikash Mahto, Madan Mahto, Deepak Kumar and Munna Mahto on the basis of Gudu’s statement. Additional police director-general Jitendra Kumar said prima facie it appeared that Babloo was beaten to death over an old dispute.