A transgender person was beaten to death on suspicion of being a child-lifter in Nagrakata in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district on Monday, 22 July, ANI reports said.
The profusely bleeding person was rushed to a block primary health centre where they were declared dead, IANS reported.
The identity of the victim is yet to be ascertained, reports said.
An investigation is underway and six people have been arrested in connection with the lynching.
"We managed to rescue the victim but they died on the way to the hospital," Debasish Chakraborty, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) told ANI.
Rumours of Child-Lifter in Area
According to EastMojo, rumours had been doing the rounds that a child-lifter was present in the village despite the fact that there had not been any child abductions reported in the area.
Due to the rumour, locals were going around the village carrying batons and other weapons, questioning any unknown face.
“No incident of child kidnapping has taken place. These are simply rumours spread by people,” Chakraborty said.
The 32-year-old victim was travelling to Sukhani village in the area when they were stopped by a mob and questioned. At the same time, someone reportedly shouted that they were a child abductor, and the mob began the attack. The mob even followed the victim and continued the attack, according to EastMojo.
Mutilated Beyond Recovery
A local who wished to remain anonymous emphasised just how brutally the victim was beaten.
“They weren't just beaten to death. Their body was mutilated beyond recovery. Huge stones were thrown at their face. Even small children were seen throwing stones. Don't know from where these people got such guts," the local told EastMojo.
The same person called it a “deadly crime”, saying that an innocent had been killed for no reason.
(With inputs from ANI, IANS and EastMojo.)
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