An FIR was registered against several villagers in Siwan district on Sunday following the alleged beating death of a 24-year-old man accused of mobile phone theft. The incident occurred on May 30 when the victim, Shahzad Ali, was dragged from his home, tied to a tree in a field, and assaulted with sticks for nearly two hours. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where he was declared dead.
Mob Attack and Family's Ordeal
Shahzad’s wife, Mobina Khatoon, stated that villagers falsely accused her husband of stealing a mobile phone and forcibly removed him from their house. “When I reached the field, they had tied him to a tree and were beating him brutally,” she said. “I tried to save him, but they threatened me and chased me away. He fainted several times. They threw water on his face to revive him and beat him again,” she alleged.
Shahzad, the sole breadwinner of his family, leaves behind four children who keep asking when their father will return.
Police Response and Allegations
As news of the incident spread, hundreds of villagers surrounded Barharia police station, alleging that police delay cost Shahzad’s life. Locals claimed that the Dial-112 team reached the spot but remained passive spectators and left without intervening. Barharia Station House Officer (SHO) Chhotan Kumar said that Shahzad had been accused of mobile theft four days prior. Upon receiving information about the assault, police immediately reached the spot and assisted the family in admitting him to the sadar hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
“Based on the family’s statement, an FIR has been registered against Amit Kumar, Pramendra Manjhi, Chhathu Manjhi, Awadhkishore Chaudhary, Guddu Manjhi, Rajan Chaudhary, Mantu Kumar, and 8-10 unidentified individuals. Raids are being carried out to arrest them,” the SHO said.
Senior Officials Visit Village
Upon receiving information, Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP) Puran Kumar Jha and Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ashok Kumar Singh visited the village and directed the Barharia SHO to take strict legal action. Police have assured that the accused will be apprehended soon.
