New Delhi: Two men in their early twenties were found beaten to death by members of the public, on suspicion of theft, in North-West Delhi's Azadpur Mandi, with at least one of the bodies being sewed into a sack, which was later opened up.
Family members of one of the deceased have said that the two victims did not know each other.
Police said on Tuesday around 7:30 am, information was received by the staff of Azadpur Mandi police post that two persons who were suspected to have committed theft were beaten by the public. Police staff reached a shop at Azadpur Sabzi Mandi where one Lokesh (24) was found in injured condition and another person Bhaiya (24) was also found in an injured condition a few meters away.
"Both the injured were shifted to BJRM Hospital where both of them were declared brought dead by the doctor. CCTV footage of the locality is being analysed. Post mortem is being conducted and further legal action is being taken under relevant sections," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West) Usha Rangnani.
Lokesh's brother Rishi told Millennium Post that his brother was never involved in any kind of theft and played percussions at weddings. "My brother had not gone there to steal something. He is a married person with a minor child. He was feeding his family by playing drums in weddings," he said.
Rishi went on to say that a person who claimed to be working at the Azadpur Mandi informed them about the incident. They rushed to the spot and found an injured person lying there but found that he was not Lokesh.
"We moved forward and found a sack lying there and when it was opened, my brother's body was inside. He was badly beaten by sticks," he added. Rishi said they also caught one person from the spot and handed him over to the nearest police post.
Police have arrested Rakesh (47), Sunil Kumar Pandey (28) for the murders but both deceased have also been booked by Delhi Police on allegations of theft. Two separate FIRs under Sections 379, 511 IPC have been registered against both Lokesh and Bhaiya.