Man lynched by mob of 150 in Jharkhand for cutting 'Holy Tree'

Ranchi

A man was lynched in Jharkhand's Simdega by a mob on Tuesdayfor allegedly hurting religious sentiments by cutting a tree.

The incident took place in Kolebira Police Station area onTuesday afternoon. The victim has been identified as Sanju Pradhan.

According to police, around 100 to 150 people lynched thevictim to death as he had hurt the religious sentiments by cutting and sellingparts of a particular tree.

"This tree has religious importance for the Mundacommunity and they are very sentimental about it. The deceased had cut thesetrees in October 2021. This had hurt the sentiments. Today a large number ofpeople held a meeting and decided to beat him which lead to the victim'sdeath," said Simdega police.

The family of the victim told police that the mob first beathim with sticks and bricks. They put him on fire after he died. "Body hasbeen sent for postmortem. He died of beating or due to fire will be ascertainedafter autopsy. FIR is being registered with appropriate sections.Identification of accused is going on," said Superintendant of Police,Simdega Dr Shams Tabrez.

Worth mentioning, Jharkhand Assembly passed the Preventionof Mob Violence and Mob Lynching Bill, 2021 in December last year.