NAWADA: A Mahadalit man was lynched by a mob in Nawada around 4.45pm on Tuesday for refusing to pay adequate 'chanda' (donation) for the Saraswati Puja. One person was arrested, Sirdalla police station SHO Saroj Kumar said.
The incident took place at village Vijaypur under Sirdalla police station area. According to Vinay Rajbanshi, his brother Ravindra, along with other members of the family, was returning home after taking ritualistic bath in river Dhanarjay at Dhubri Ghat following the death of their mother a few days ago. "More than a dozen of teenagers, armed with sticks, demanded Rs 1,000 from my brother, who was driving his autorickshaw. As Ravindra did not have the that much, he offered Rs 20. Incensed at the meagre amount, the mob beat him mercilessly and ran away. Ravindra was rushed to Nawada Sadar Hospital where he was declared brought dead," Vinay said.
Incidentally, Warisaliganj MLA Aruna Devi, who was returning after garlanding the statue of late Karpoori Thakur at Bagi Bagdiha, also had a miraculous escape when some youths demanded 'chanda' for Sarsaswati Puja from her at Bagi Bagdiha railway halt. Seeing the armed security guards inside her vehicle, the mob backed off.