Child-Lifting Rumour: Techie beaten to death, 3 injured in a mob lynching over WhatsApp rumour in Karnataka's Bidar; 32 arrested
Child-Lifting rumour: Techie beaten to death, 3 injured in a mob lynching over WhatsApp rumour in Karnataka's Bidar; 32 arrested
After Maharashtra's Dhule mob lynching, now a 35-year old software engineer was beaten to death by a mob allegedly over a WhatsApp rumour of child lifting at Bidar in Karnataka on Friday evening. Other than the techie, three others have been critically injured in the mob lynching. The case has been registered and cops have arrested 32 people.
As per reports, five men from Hyderabad--Mohammad Azam, Salman, Mohammad Salam, Basheer and Noor Mohammad had gone out for a drive. While returning back, they stopped on the roadside, where one of them, a Qatar national, offered chocolates to children around, said the police.
"Cousins were visiting us. They had gone out for a drive after lunch. My brother gave chocolates to children. We don't know what their parents thought but several villagers gathered and beat them. How can they think they were kidnappers?" said Mohammad Azam's brother Akram.
A resident of the village stopped the man offering chocolates to the kid and sent a message on WhatsApp group. In no time a huge crowd gathered the spot and attacked the four men, who immediately got into their car and drove away said the police. The men have been identified as Murki, has been held.
While absconding the mob, the speedy car met with an accident and fell into a ditch. After which the mob caught up and beaten them dragging them out of the car. Hundreds of villagers gathered but none came to their rescue the men. By the time the police arrived, Mohammad Azam had died. The others were taken to the hospital in Hyderabad. Among the 32 arrested for the killing, one is the administrator of the WhatsApp group.
Akram appealed to the government to stop mob killings. "My brother was a software engineer, father of a 2-year-old. He was just a regular guy," said Akram.