Street artiste killed over child lift rumour

TT, 23 Jul 2019, Jalpaiguri/Alipurduar: A person who eked out a living by performing as an impressionist was lynched on the suspicion that he was a child lifter in Nagrakata on Monday morning.

The deceased who was yet to be identified had been roaming around several places in Nagrakata block. On Monday morning, some residents of Sukhanibusty intercepted him and accused him of planning to kidnap children.

Around 70 people gathered and beat him. Some even hit him with stones. A police team led by an assistant sub-inspector of police from Nagrakata reached the spot.

"Our men tried to pacify the mob but they went on attacking the victim with stones. The policemen could not control them. Later, additional forces went to the spot and the person was rescued. He, however, succumbed to his injuries soon," a police officer said.

Debasish Chakraborty, the subdivisional police officer of Malbazar, said: "We have come to know that the person used to earn a living as a bahurupi (a street artist who impersonates characters). He seemed to be aged around 38." .

Residents of Nagrakata block said there were rumours that child lifters were roaming around. People were so panicked that youths armed with sharp weapons, bows and arrows started a night vigil.

A man, who was moving through Bholardabri near Alipurduar with his three year-old son, was stopped and assaulted by local people.

"They questioned him and tied his son to a tree and started beating him up. Police were informed who rushed to the spot and rescued him. Later, it was learnt that his name is Kartick Bansfore and he hails from Mujaffarpur in Bihar.

He was on way to Guwahati and got down at Alipurduar Junction by mistake.

At Dalgaon station in Birpara on Monday evening, a youth was thrashed by some passengers who alleged that he was a child lifter. The GRP personnel rescued him and rushed him to the state general hospital in Birpara.

On Sunday, around 11pm, residents of Badalnagar under Alipurduar police station detained an old man and beat him up. He was rescued by police..