UP: One killed, another injured in mob attack after child-lifting rumours in Sambhal

A 40-year-old man, who was taking his nephew to a doctor, was lynched after residents mistook him for a kidnapper in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district

, The Indian Express reported on Thursday. The deceased’s brother, who was accompanying the two, was also grievously injured in the attack, which occurred on Tuesday at Asalatpur Jarai village.

The police said that Raju and Ramavatar, both residents of Chabra village in Sambhal were attacked as the child was crying of severe stomach pain. “Raju and Ram first took the boy to a Community Health Centre at Reeth village, but the doctors there suggested them to take him to Chandausi as he was not getting respite from an acute stomach ache,” the newspaper quoted Chandausi Police Station in charge Dharam Pal Singh as saying. The residents got agitated after seeing the crying child as there have been posts on social media about child-lifters. They then assaulted the brothers with iron rods, sticks and stones.

While Raju died on the spot, 42-year-old Ramavatar was taken to a hospital in Chandausi, after which he was shifted to a Moradabad hospital. Ramavatar alleged that the mob also robbed them of Rs 15,000 and a mobile phone.

“Based on video evidence collected from the spot, four persons have been arrested...

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