Four Arrested After Woman Lynched Over Child-Theft Rumour in Jharkhand’s Gumla

Overview

• The unidentified woman, reported to be mentally challenged, was accused of child lifting and beaten with sticks and stones in Labga village, Bishunpur block, on Sunday night.
• Police said they rescued her and took her to a primary health centre, where she died on Monday, and the body has been sent for post-mortem.
• At least four villagers — Tetra Oraon, Besai Oraon, Shivlal Oraon and Etwa Oraon — have been arrested and sent to judicial custody, with searches under way for others.
• An FIR has been registered in the case and investigators are working to identify additional attackers and trace the victim’s family.
• State police have urged residents not to act on unverified WhatsApp forwards and say they have found no organised child-lifting gang despite recent rumours and a spate of similar attacks across Jharkhand.