WhatsApp rumour: Madhya Pradesh Police arrest 12 people for lynching mentally-ill woman

Madhya Pradesh Police have arrested 12 people in an another case of mob lynching, for allegedly beating an unstable woman aged between 25 and 30 years to death on the night of July 19 in Singrauli District on suspicion of being a child-lifter after a WhatsApp message about child lifters was circulated by locals.

The woman is yet to be identified, said Riyaz Iqbal, superintendent of police, Singrauli.

Heera Singh Gond, a resident of village Katarihar, hit the woman with an axe while Gopal Singh, Durga Singh and Devlal Singh, all residents of Bhosh attacked the woman with lathis and sticks, police said.

Investigating officer Narendra Raghuvanshi said that they received a complaint that a body of a woman was found in a drain of a nursery near the forest area. The case has been registered in Morwa police station regarding the same.

“We received information on July 20 that a body of a woman was found in a drain in a nursery. She was not looking mentally stable. The woman died due to a head injury,” investigating officer Raghuvanshi added.

Police booked a total of 14 people under sections 302, 201, 147, 148, and 149 of the Indian Penal Code in the case. “We have arrested 12 out of 14 accused,” the investigating officer confirmed.

SP Iqbal said that the accused have confessed to their crime and weapons of the crime had been seized.

The other accused who joined the group and attacked the woman includes, Deepnarayan Singh, Raghuvir Singh, Ram Singh, Ramashankar Sahu, Gambhir Singh, Ramcharan Singh, Lakhpati Singh, Karan Singh, Jagshah Agaria and Rambali Singh.

Officer Raghuvanshi said that they are making announcements in the district and trying to make people aware not to believe in such kind of rumours.