Madhya Pradesh: Farmer lynched by mob on child-lifting rumours, five injured

Chief Minister Kamal Nath ordered a probe into the incident, saying strict action would be taken against those responsible. The BJP accused the Congress government of failing to control law and order in the state.




A man was lynched and five others were injured in Borlai village of Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh by a mob amid rumours that a gang of child-lifters was on the prowl in the area, police said. Police said a monetary dispute between the victims, who are all farmers, and labour contractors was behind the incident. The farmers, from Ujjain district, had been called to Khadkiya village of Dhar district with a promise to return the money they had paid in advance for hiring labourers. They had to recover Rs 1.5 lakh of the Rs 2.5 lakh they had paid to the contractor.

When they reached Khadkiya village, a dispute reportedly ensued and they were pelted with stones. When they tried to flee, people allegedly spread rumours of a gang of child-lifters being spotted in the area and that they were headed towards Borlai.

At Borlai, a mob of about 200 people stopped the vehicles of the farmers. While one of the occupants of the car managed to escape, the remaining six were assaulted by the mob. A video showed the victims lying on the ground as the mob thrashed them. One vehicle was torched by the mob.

Dhar Superintendent of Police A P Singh told The Indian Express that an FIR had been registered against three people and at least 35 others have been identified in the video. He said the mob had killed one of the farmers and the injured were shifted to Indore for treatment.

Two of the injured told local TV channels from the hospital that they had informed the police before entering the village and were told there would be no trouble.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath ordered a probe into the incident, saying strict action would be taken against those responsible. The BJP accused the Congress government of failing to control law and order in the state.

BJP state president Rakesh Singh said the mob continued to attack the men even after the police reached the spot. He said the state’s law and order situation had deteriorated since the Congress came to power.

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