A mob thrashed a 35-year-old man to death at Chakhabi in Bihar’s Samastipur district for allegedly trying to steal cattle on Sunday night. The incident came to light after a video of the lynching went viral on Monday and prompted police to deploy additional forces at Chakhabi.
Police said Mohammad Mustaqim, a resident of Begusarai, died during treatment and that three other men accompanying him managed to run for their lives.
Samastipur police superintendent Hridaykant cited preliminary investigation and said it suggested that the four alleged thieves were trying to steal a pair ox. “Subsequently some villagers raised an alarm and caught one of them after chasing him,” he said. He added a police team was sent to the spot while raids were on to arrest the assailants. A motorcycle and a mobile phone have been recovered from the spot, police said.
In the video, Mustaqim is purportedly heard saying that has everything and has no reason to steal cattle. He is heard offering land and money to the mob, which kept hitting him with sticks.