Arunachal Pradesh: Rape, murder accused of 5-year-old girl pulled out of police lockup, lynched by villagers in Lohit

Hundreds of agitated villagers dragged out an alleged rapist and murderer of a five-year-old girl and his accomplice from a police lockup and beat them to death in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tezu on Monday.

Apur Bitin, DIG (Eastern Range), Arunachal Pradesh Police confirmed the incident to the media.

A senior police officer of Lohit district said, “The two accused were produced at the district court on Monday morning. The court had granted them custody for interrogation.”

“A mob consisting of at least 1000 people dragged the duo out of the lock up and dragged them to the local market,” added the officer.

He added that the mob used traditional weapons, batons and iron rods to lynch the duo accused — Jagdish Lohar, 25, and Sanjay Sobor, 30.

“The mob after beating the duo to death dumped their body in the market area,” police said.

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According to the DIG, police personnel on duty tried to thwart the incident but the attackers were in large numbers. “Several of our police personnel have also sustained injuries in the mob attack,” said Bitin.

According to a senior police officer of Lohit district three police personnel have been suspended for failing to prevent the mob lynching.

Police records say that Sobor had allegedly abducted a 5-year-old girl earlier this month, while Lohar was arrested for helping the prime suspect in the crime. Her severed head was recovered on February 17 from a Tenjpani tea garden.

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“The duo had accepted to their crime,” said a police officer.

The Arunachal Police have lodged an FIR against unknown people for abducting and killing the two. No arrests have been made till the report was filed.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu termed the lynching as ‘unfortunate’. Earlier he had termed the minor’s rape and murder as ‘barbaric and inhuman.”