Mistaken as cattle thief, UP man lynched

Lucknow: A man mistaken as cattle thief was lynched by a mob in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district on Tuesday. His friend was also assaulted and injured seriously, sources said.

The incident took place in Pilkhua when victim Qasim, 45, and his friend were shooing away a buffalo and a calf that had wandered into their fields. Locals mistook the duo to be cattle thieves and brutally attacked them, sources said.

Qasim succumbed to his injuries in hospital while his unidentified friend is battling for life. A chilling video of the brutal attack has also surfaced. In the video, injured Qasim is seeking water to drink while a group of people stand around him. The police claimed the incident took place over a trivial issue and was not cattle-related. Victims were admitted to the hospital where one of them died during treatment.