Three cattle lifters lynched in Cooch Behar

 

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 6: Three persons, suspected to be Bangladeshis, were lynched and five others were beaten seriously near the Indo-Bangladesh border area in Mathabhanga sub-division in Cooch Behar at early hours of today. Nationalities of the killed and injured are yet to be ascertained. Additional superintendent of police, Cooch Behar, Mr James Kujur said a thorough probe started into the incident.

 

Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Mathabhanga, Mr Ananda Roy said two persons were lynched at Dharanipur village. Among the two seriously injured at Chenakata village one died and the other was sent to hospital. At Panchmile village four others were beaten severely. The injured five were shifted to Mathabhanga sub-divisional hospital. The SDPO said the identities of the killed and the injured are yet to be ascertained though locals alleged that the victims are Bangladeshis. Mr Roy said eleven cattle were seized in connection with the incident. These were allegedly being carried to the other side of the border.

 

It was learnt that incidents of cattle lifting turned into a grave menace at the bordering villages in Mathabhanga. At early hours of today the villagers of Dharanipur, Chenakata and Panchmile saw some people were going towards the border with a few cattle. Suspecting them as cattle-lifters the villagers chased them and reportedly caught them red-handed. Mass beating resulted in lynching of three persons. []