1 lynched over cow ‘theft’ in Assam

GUWAHATI: One person was killed and three seriously injured in an attack by a mob over suspicions that they were cow thieves in Biswanath district of upper Assam, police said on Thursday.

According to the police, the incident took place at Diplunga tea estate, nearly 230km from the state capital, early Wednesday.

“Four persons from Sootea were travelling in a tempo van when they were attacked by a mob at 4am. Locals allege the victims had stolen cows,” said a police official from Sootea police station.

The police said two stolen cows were recovered from the van. While the driver of the vehicle escaped, a mob of nearly 20 people attacked the four men.

A video of the incident captured on a mobile shows the victims pleading to be spared with folded hands while blows were rained on them.

“We were on our way to buy pigs from Diplunga tea estate early Wednesday when a mob stopped us and started attacking, accusing us of being cow thieves,” one of the injured victims told local television channels.

The police, however, maintain that the victims had stolen cows and were transporting them.

The victims were taken to a nursing home where Deben Rajbongshi, died. Phoolchand Sahu, Bijoy Nayak and Pujen Rajbongshi, who sustained injuries on their heads, legs and arms, are undergoing treatment.

“No one has been arrested yet,” Biswanath SP Diganta Kumar Chowdhury said.