Ragpicker lynched by truckers over robbery in Bhalswa Dairy

A 25-year-old rag-picker, wanted in criminal cases – including a robbery that took place in 2011, was lynched by a group of truck drivers and helpers in North-west Delhi’s Bhalswa Dairy area on Sunday. He was tied to an electricity pole, after he allegedly tried to snatch money from a truck driver and attacked him with a knife, police said.

According to the police, the incident took place around 10 am when the victim, Rafiqul, along with two of his friends, who are also rag-pickers, reached a godown in Bhalswa Dairy area. They allegedly tried to rob Rs 7,000 from Ramakant, a truck driver. When Ramakant resisted, Rafiqul allegedly took out knife from his pocket and attacked him. Ramakant raised an alarm and other truck drivers and helpers present in the godown came to his rescue, police said. They managed to catch Rafiqul, but his associates, who are yet to be identified, managed to flee.

“The truck drivers tied Rafiqul to an electricity pole and thrashed him. Some local residents also gathered at the spot and beat him up brutally. After sometime, Rafiqul fell unconscious and the mob fled. In the meantime, someone made a PCR call and a police team reached the spot,” a senior police official said.

The police rushed Rafiqul to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead. 

“We have apprehended three men – Ramakant, Pawan and Raj Kumar Mishra – for attacking Rafiqul. A manhunt has been launched to apprehend others involved in the attack,” said Vijay Singh, DCP (North-West). The police said Rafiqul’s body would be handed over to his family after the post-mortem examination on Monday.

A case under relevant sections of the IPC has been registered at the Bhalswa Dairy police station.