Mob Lynching in MP Killed a Farmer Over Child Abduction Rumor

Story:

Mob Lynching in Madhya Pradesh, India Killed a Farmer and Injured Five Others Seriously over Rumors of Child Abduction.

Mob Lynching in Dhar, MP.

6 farmers were attacked by mob over the suspicion of Child Lifting.

1 farmer died, 4 are critically injured. One of the cars was also burnt by the mob that attacked the farmers with lathis and big boulders.https://t.co/VC35XWfVdi pic.twitter.com/kmi92BBrnC
— Md Asif Khan‏‎‎‎‎‎‎ آصِف (@imMAK02) February 7, 2020

Facts Analysis:

A disturbing and violent video is doing rounds online showing a mob in an Indian village beating a man badly with sticks and stones. The incident from Madhya Pradesh is in fact an incident of mob lynching which killed a farmer and injured five others seriously.

Image of Mob Lynching in MP Killed a Farmer Over Child Abduction Rumors

About the Video

The violent video just over one minute long is doing rounds on WhatsApp and other online platforms. It in fact shows a large group of people beating one man horribly with whatever they can find – sticks, stones and others. Some false messages accompanying the video suggested the man is a rapist and the villagers punished him for same. The fact of the matter is something else as it is a case of mob lynching in Madhya Pradesh.

Mob Lynching in Madhya Pradesh Killed Farmer

The incident took place in early February 2020, in Khirkiya village in tribal-dominated Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India. A group of wealthy farmers went to the village trying to collect around 1,50,000 rupees they paid in advance to three laborers who failed to carry out the work. A gang of men attacked the farmers and then chased in their cars. When they got stuck in a traffic jam, the workers began shouting the farmers were fleeing after abducting children from the village – creating a violent scenario.

Image of The villagers attacking the car of farmers — The villagers attacking the car of farmers

Image of The village mob beating other farmers over rumors of Child lifting — The villagers attacking the car of farmers

Provoked by the child lifting rumors, dozens of other villagers came to the scene. They dragged the farmers from their cars and beat them recklessly. There’s another shocking video showing the villagers brutally attacking and beating the six men and their cars with sticks, rods and stone slabs. The villagers also set afire one car of the farmers. Police rushed to the spot and took them to nearby hospital. While one farmer died mid-way, five others were injured seriously. The Hindi news report below describes the tragic and shameful incident.

Police Explanation

Police Superintendent Aditya Pratap Singh explained the farmers paid 250,000 rupees to the three labor contractors recently, who did not supply the promised labor. He said the contractors returned 1,00,000 rupees to the farmers and asked them to come to the village for taking remaining amount. Violence and mob lynching took place thereafter.

Police charged three men Avtar Singh, Bhuvaan Singh and Jaam Singh with murder. Later, they arrested Ramesh Junapani, a village sarpanch, Satya and Galia who led the mob lynching. Over forty people among the mob were also identified. The farmer who died was Ganesh Patel, a resident of Shivkheda village in Ujjain.

The mob lynching incident is an unfortunate example of how lies are propagated intentionally to spread unwarranted fear and provoke people into violence.