UP: 20-yr-old suspected of being buffalo thief lynched

A youth who was home from Dubai where he worked as a tailor was lynched in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district on suspicion that he had stolen a buffalo, police said on Thursday.

Shahrukh, 20, was beaten to death on Wednesday night in Bholapur Hadoliya village under the Cantt police station area.

Four people have been arrested, said Superintendent of Police (City) Abhinandan Singh.

Shahrukh and three others had gone out on Wednesday night when a group of locals caught hold of them, suspecting that they had stolen a buffalo. He was thrashed by the group while his associates managed to escape, police said.

He was admitted to hospital in a serious condition and later succumbed to injuries, Shahrukh worked in Dubai as a tailor and had recently come home, Singh said.

According to the post-mortem examination, the severe beating was the cause of death, the SP said. Both sides have lodged FIRs.

Shahrukh's brother has filed a complaint against 20-25 unnamed persons and three of his associates. The side which alleged buffalo theft have also lodged a case, the SP added.