Suspecting Them Of Being Child Lifters, Assam Mob Beats Them Up And Attack Cops For Saving Them

It is the same old story yet again. Ordinary people going around with their daily lives - random people think they are child-lifters - information is spread on social media - mobs assemble and beat them up.

This exact sequence of events has been playing out across the country for a long time now and every single time it is only getting more and more out of control.

In yet another case of 'mob justice,' a group of men who were on their way to a cattle market was beaten up by a mob because someone felt that they were child-lifters.

The incident happened in Nitainagar village in Hailakandi district of South Assam on Friday night.?

Nine men including police constable Jamil Hussain were on their way to Laskarbazar weekly cattle market of Nitainagar on Friday night when they were confronted by a group of armed locals who mistook them for child-lifters.

The mob beat them up and even set fire to the vehicle that they were traveling.?

When a team of police personnel rushed to the site on learning about the incident, they too came under attack.

Hailakandi Sadar police station Officer In-charge (OC) Hemanta Kumar Das and second officer Ashoke Chakraborty of the police station, OC Borat Chandra Kar of Algapur police stations and two jawans of the CRPF were seriously injured in the mob attack.

Das' condition is said to be serious and was sent to Silchar Medical College Hospital in neighbouring Cachar district.

The rabid mob even turned on some locals after they tried to save the policemen from the mob attack, leaving some of them with minor injuries.

Hailakandi Superintendent of Police Pabindra Kumar Nath said the incident was being investigated.

Meanwhile, district Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli has appealed people to remain calm saying, "We assure you that the administration and police will remain alert."

"It is reiterated that there is no report on missing persons or kidnapping cases filed in police stations of the district. Fear psychosis is being built on unfounded rumours. The matter is under investigation. Request everyone to remain calm," the DC said.

This is not the first time cops have come under attack for trying to save people from lynching.?

In fact, in August there were two cases in UP where police teams were mistaken by locals as child lifters and were beaten up.?