Man beaten to death for 'stealing phone', six in net

Kolkata: A man was beaten to death on Monday night at a construction site near Milan Mela ground. Six persons have been arrested in this connection.

According to sources, on Monday, around 10:30 pm, sleuths of Pragati Maidan police station got information that an unidentified body was found at a construction site near Milan Mela ground.

Upon receiving the information, the police reach the spot and found that a man was lying unconscious with multiple injury marks on his body. The man was immediately rushed to the NRS Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

During preliminary investigation, sleuths came to know that the deceased person was dragged inside the construction site by a few staff members of construction site. However during questioning, they denied the allegation and said they knew nothing about it. But as there were several ambiguities in their statement, sleuths decided to check the CCTV camera footage. The CCTV camera footage outside of the construction site was examined and it was established that a few people had surrounded the deceased person and later they dragged him inside the construction site. Sleuths again went to the construction site and checked the CCTV footage installed on the premises where it could be seen that six persons were beating the deceased person. The suspects were detained immediately.

During the interrogation, detained persons said that the deceased had stolen a mobile phone from the construction site and they detained him to take it back from him. But, since he did not return the phone, they started beating him, said one of the accused.

Following this statement sleuths arrested six persons. Though they are claiming that the deceased had stolen a mobile phone, sleuths did not find any clue to the allegation till now. The accused persons have been booked under Sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC.

A few months ago, there were several instances of people being beaten to death as they were suspected to be child-lifters.

In some places, many persons were beaten after they were suspected to be thieves. To stop such incidents, state government and police department had to organise campaigns to urge people not spread rumours as this could cost someone's life. Also, multiple cases were lodged with the police across the state for beating up people on the basis of rumours. A few of such incidents took place in the city as well.