Villagers beat up two brothers mistaking them as child lifters

Two mentally retarded brothers were today severely beaten up by the villagers after mistaking them as child lifters in Mayurbhanj district, police said.
The police rescued the brother duo and admitted them at the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College Hospital here. Their condition is stated to be stable, police said.
The incident took place at Laxmiposi village under Baripada Sadar police station area when the brothers duo were passing through the road along with a 12-year-old tribal boy.
However, according to Baripada Sadar police station in-charge officer Tilotama Rout, the villagers enquired the brothers where they are taking the boy. As both of them were mentally challenged, the villagers could not satisfactory answer.

Mistaking them as child lifters, about 100 people tied the brothers duo in a tree and continued to beat them up till police rescued them, Rout said.
The brothers were identified as Jogendra Barik (25) and Amerendra Barik (14) and hailed from nearby Budhikhamari village under Baripada Town Police Station limit.
Earlier on June 3, the residents of Domuhani village under Bangiriposi police station, had beaten a woman to death mistaking her as a child lifter in same Mayurbhanj district.
Meanwhile, the police has registered a case in this connection, Rout said.