Bhubaneswar: In a disturbing incident of vigilantism, two youths were allegedly tied to an electric pole and assaulted by locals on suspicion of theft at a village in Odisha’s Malkangiri district.
As per information, the incident took place at Kumbhiguda village under the jurisdiction of Kalimela police station on Friday. The two youths of MV-41 village had reportedly gone to Kumbhiguda when locals suspected that they were committing theft.
A group of villagers caught hold of the two and subjected them to severe physical assault. The youths were reportedly tied to an electric pole and beaten mercilessly in full public view.
After the assault, the villagers handed over the two injured youths to the police. It was not immediately clear whether a formal complaint had been lodged with the police. Police reportedly initiated a probe into the incident. It was not confirmed whether the youths had committed theft.
Videos of the incident, which went viral on social media, triggered widespread outrage and debate over the growing trend of mob justice. Many have raised questions about the role of law enforcement and the delay in action against those involved in the assault. No action has so far been initiated against the villagers who carried out the attack.
