A case of mob lynching in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district has sparked anger and protests among local villagers. On Thursday, a 22-year-old man named Abdul Kalam was beaten to death in Kadrukhutta village under the Penk Narayanpur police station area. Following the incident, villagers gathered at the police station with the victim’s body on Friday, demanding justice and the arrest of all those involved.
According to reports, the incident began when Abdul Kalam, a resident of Penk and a local setter by profession, allegedly harassed a woman while she was bathing in a pond. The woman raised an alarm, after which her family members and other villagers caught Kalam, tied him up, and beat him severely. He later died from his injuries.
The police rushed Kalam to Bokaro Thermal Hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. A case was filed based on a complaint by the woman involved, while a separate case was registered by the victim’s uncle, who claimed Abdul was mentally unwell and under treatment in Ranchi and Hazaribagh. He accused three local villagers of killing his nephew.
Tensions ran high on Friday as villagers refused to accept the government’s ₹4 lakh compensation, demanding strict punishment, including the death penalty, for those responsible. The situation was tense at the police station as hundreds of locals staged a protest, demanding justice.
In response, Dumri MLA Jairam Mahto, Bermo SDM Mukesh Machhua, and other local officials arrived at the spot to calm the crowd. Police confirmed that two of the three named suspects have been arrested, and raids are ongoing to catch the third accused.
Authorities have assured the victim’s family that they will receive the government-announced compensation, including financial aid and housing support. Meanwhile, police are continuing their investigation into the incident from both sides.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.
