Thirteen people have been arrested in Assam’s Jorhat district for allegedly beating a student leader to death on Monday, police said on Tuesday.
A mob attacked Animesh Bhuyan, 28, the student leader, and two others after suspecting them of hitting an elderly man riding a scooter with their vehicle. A video of the incident, which went viral, showed a group of people purportedly attacking the three while bystanders did not come to their rescue.
“We have arrested 13 persons in connection with the incident including the main culprit Neeraj Das, a person with criminal antecedents who is also the father of Mohan Das, the person who was riding the scooter,” said Ankur Jain, Jorhat police superintendent.
Jain cited preliminary investigation and added the scooter rider fell on his own and got some head injuries. When the three, who had just reached the spot in their car, tried to help him, he shouted that they hit him.
“A mob gathered at the spot and attacked the three without trying to verify what exactly happened,” said Jain. “The incident happened in the middle of town in broad daylight, but surprisingly people present there did not intervene.”
The three were rescued and taken to a hospital where Bhuyan was declared brought dead. The two others sustained injuries.
Jain said it took police some time to reach the spot as the place was blocked and there was a traffic jam. “Our team also came under attack.” He added police first rescued the two other victims before finally reaching Bhuyan.
Deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Barman said a magisterial inquiry has been ordered and a report will be submitted within 10 days.
Mridusmanta Baruah, a journalist who accompanied Buyan, said they had just parked their vehicle at the spot when the elderly man fell down. “When we tried to lift him, he started shouting that our car had hit his scooter.”
The All Assam Students Union blamed the police for failing to prevent the lynching and called for a protest rally in Jorhat on Tuesday.
Assam minister Ranoj Pegu, who rushed to Jorhat on Tuesday, said chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked the police to submit a charge sheet in the case within 15 days and ensure trial in a fast-track court.