Rape accused dragged out of jail custody, lynched

A man, accused of raping a girl, was beaten to death today after being pulled out of a jail by a mob at Dimapur in Nagaland.
A mass protest rally against the rape was held at Dimapur this morning after which students and angry people forced into the district jail and managed to pull out the accused.
The accused had allegedly raped the victim several times on February 23 and was arrested the following day following a complaint lodged by the victim.
The police resorted to blank firing and fired tear gas shells but failed to control the situation, officials said.

The accused was dragged naked to the main town and he died of the injuries of beatings by the public, a senior official said.
An emergency cabinet meeting was held at 7 pm at the residential office of chief minister to take stock of the law and other situation in Dimapur.

The cabinet condemned the violent incident whereby the mob took the law into their hands, leading to the death of the accused, said a release issued by CMO Media Cell this evening.
The cabinet also decided to institute a high-level committee to inquire into the incident and find out the circumstances leading to it.

The committee would also inquire into the lapses or shortcomings on the part of any public servant in connection with the incident and the person or group of persons responsible for the violence leading to the death of the accused in the hands of the mob.
The chief minister, being in New Delhi, the cabinet meeting was chaired by Minister for Social Security & Welfare and Parliamentary Affairs, Kiyanilie Peseyie, the CMO Media Cell added.