One person was beaten to death and several others injured as Uttar Pradesh was shaken by a spate of mob lynchings in the past 48-hours in different parts of the state.

Like in the past, all the incidents were the result of child lifting rumours.

According to police sources here, a youth, identified as Ranbir Kumar, was beaten to death by a frenzied mob at Dhikali village in Meerut district, about 450 kilometres from here, over child lifting suspicion.

Another youth, identified as Azad Singh was critically injured after being thrashed by a mob in Kithore area in the district on Sunday. Azad, who was admitted to the hospital, was stated to be ''critical''.

Three youths were brutally assaulted by a mob, who suspected them to be child-lifters, at Jhinjhana area in the state's Shamli district, about 500 kilometres from here, on Sunday, sources said.

Similar incidents were also reported from Rampur, Bulandshahar and Muzaffarnagar district, sources added.

Police officials here said that the people were so alarmed by the rumours of child lifting that they were patrolling the lanes of their villages during the nights.

Earlier a man had been killed over suspicion of child lifting by a mob in  Firozabad district, about 325 kilometres from here.

The state government is contemplating making stringent laws to combat mob lynching after the State Law Commission recommended strict punishment, including life imprisonment in case of death of the victim.