Two suspected cattle thieves lynched in Assam

A mob yesterday lynched two men in Nagaon district, suspecting them to be cattle thieves.

Senior police officials said the men, aged 20-25, were severely beaten up by the mob, who alleged that they were involved in cow theft.

"When the police reached the spot, they were being thrashed by a mob of villagers near Kasamari grazing reserve," Nagaon SP Debaraj Upadhay said. "The team immediately took the men to hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries."

The mob thrashed them with sticks while chasing them for about 1.5 km, he said.

Upadhay said the men's parents have registered a police complaint. No arrest has been made so far.

Asked if it is a case of "cow vigilantism", the senior official said a lot of cattle thefts have taken place in Nagaon.