Mob justice in Chatra: Four arrested for lynching suspected child-lifter; Victim cousin claims mob was incited by rumors

Chatra: Four persons were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly lynching a man on suspicion of being a child-lifter in Chatra district on Sunday night. The victim died during treatment on Monday morning.

The deceased was identified as Rambali Rajwar (40), a resident of Barwatoli under Ramgarh police station in Ramgarh district. He was assaulted by a mob at Chiraiyatand village under Piparwar police station limits in Chatra district.


Rambali’s brother, Bhuneshwar Rajwar, lodged a complaint on Monday evening, following which Piparwar police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Police said that the victim was brought to Mcluskieganj in Ranchi for epilepsy treatment but reached Chatra, where he was beaten up by the mob on suspicion of being a child-lifter.

Chatra SP Sumit Kumar Agrawal, who formed a special investigation team under the leadership of Tandwa SDPO Prabhat Ranjan Barwar, on Tuesday arrested four accused.

Those arrested were identified as Prayag Mahto (40), Mahendra Mahto alias Tarun Mahto (28), Surendra Mahto (32) and Basant Munda (25), all residents of Kichto village under Piparwar police station. They were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.

Confirming the arrests, SDPO Barwar said that further investigation is underway and efforts are on to identify and arrest others involved in the incident.

The raiding team included inspector Uttam Kumar Tiwari, Piparwar police station officer-in-charge Abhay Kumar, sub-inspector Abhimanyu Kumar and armed personnel of Piparwar police station, he said.