Baripada: In a horrific incident of mob lynching, a youth was beaten to death on suspicion of being a child lifter at Dengashola village under Morada police limits in Mayurbhanj district on Monday.
The identity of the deceased could not be immediately established. He is suspected to have been mentally unstable, said Morada police station Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Sumit Kumar Soren.
According to police, the incident occurred around noon near Dengashola village when four youths were allegedly attempting to abduct a child. Alert locals chased the suspects and managed to catch one of them, while the other three reportedly fled the spot.
The youth who was apprehended was allegedly assaulted by a mob before police reached the scene. He was rescued in a critical condition and admitted to Kisantandi Community Health Centre at Baramile. However, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
The body has been sent to Pandit Raghunath Murmu (PRM) Medical College and Hospital in Baripada for post-mortem examination. Police have launched an investigation into the incident and efforts are underway to identify the deceased and trace the other suspects.
Notably, panic has gripped several villages in the Morada area in recent days following rumours of child-lifting attempts. Residents are reportedly reluctant to let their children play outside amid heightened fear and tension.
