1 stabbed to death in clashes at UP village over child-lifting rumours

A person was killed and four others injured in a clash between two groups from nearby villages in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district following rumours of child-lifting, police said on Saturday.

Trouble started when a tractor hit a tricycle of a physically-challenged person near Gandhi village in Suryava police station area on Friday night and an irate mob indulged in heavy stone pelting in protest, police said.

As the tractor driver tried to speed away, locals alerted people in the villages ahead on the route that the tractor was carrying a stolen child and child-lifters, he said.

Before those in the tractor could reach their native Danupatti village, 8 kms from away, a stone-pelting mob started chasing them on two-wheelers, Superintendent of Police Ram Badan Singh said.

As soon as the tractor reached Danupatti, a clash broke out between the locals, who came out in support of those in the tractor, and those who arrived while chasing them, police said.

In the meantime, someone from the crowd attacked one Gulab Chand Bind (52) with a sharp-edged weapon leading to his death and injured four others. All the injured and the deceased were riding the tractor, Singh said.

Police said they lodged a case on the basis of a complaint filed by Danupatti's village head.

The mob while fleeing left behind two motorcycles, police said, adding that further investigations are underway.