The Muvattupuzha police have taken 10 persons into custody in a suspected case of mob lynching in which a migrant worker was allegedly beaten to death at Valakam in Muvattupuzha late on Thursday night.
The deceased was identified as Asok Das, 24, originally from Arunachal Pradesh, who was living in a rented house at Valakam. He was allegedly tied up to a tree and beaten up.
According to the first information report (FIR) registered by the police, the victim had come to a house where his friend was staying for rent along with her relative on Thursday around 5 p.m. Later, around 9.30 p.m., he was stopped by local residents, tied to a tree, and allegedly beaten up following which he collapsed.
Unconfirmed reports suggested that Asok Das had created a ruckus in the house and emerged out with blood in his hand reportedly after smashing a glass. The residents allegedly stopped him for questioning, and when he attempted to flee, he was chased down.
Soon, he was rushed to the Muvattupuzha General Hospital and then shifted to the Kolanchery Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. As the post-mortem report attributed the death to hemorrhage and injury to lungs suspected to have been caused by the alleged assault, the police tracked down 10 persons of a mob of around 25 suspected to have restrained and allegedly beaten him up.
The police said though there were reports that he had created a scene after having drinks, it remained to be verified. Whether it was a case of moral policing, or he was assaulted mistaking him for a thief also needs to be looked into, said police sources.
Though the police initially registered a case under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code for unnatural death, steps are being taken to alter the Sections and track down the remaining suspects.
