Maharashtra man strangled to death on suspicion of stealing and eating pet pigeon

A 70-year-old man was killed for allegedly stealing a pet pigeon and eating its meat in Vasai (West) on Friday. Vasai Gaon police have arrested nine people in the case.

A 70-year-old man was killed for allegedly stealing a pet pigeon and eating its meat in Vasai (West) on Friday. Vasai Gaon police have arrested nine people in the case.

Despite the victim Ramchandra Shanwar (Picture for representation)

“On Friday night, a mob went to Ramchandra Shanwar Raut’s house in Lahupada, Rangaon, and questioned him on an alleged pigeon theft that had taken place in the area. Despite Raut denying the allegations, the mob assaulted him, as they suspected him of eating the pigeon meat. One of the accused then strangled him to death,” said police inspector Rajendra Kamble of Vasai Gaon police station.

Raut’s son rushed him to hospital where he was declared dead before admission. He then approached the police where a case was registered under sections 302 (murder), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The nine arrested — Mayur Sachin Raut, Sachin Gharat, Avinash Tandel, Abhishek Raju Kolekar, Sureka Raju Kolekar, Sneha Sachin Gharat, Ranjana Chandrakant Tandel, Raju Tukaram Kolekar, and Reena Sachin Gharat — were produced before the Vasai court on Saturday. They have been remanded in police custody, said Kamble.