Why mob violence isn't recognised for what it is in today's Bihar

"Ask them, they know everything," says a young man, pointing to the team of policemen standing on guard at the entrance of the village

At first glance, there is nothing that sets Pithori Nandlal, a village in Saran district some 100 km north of Patna, apart from any other village in Bihar. Lush green fields, cattle on the roads, rows of thatched roofs punctured by a few pucca houses suggesting a dash of prosperity here and there — on the surface, it all appears ordinary. For the last few days, however, the air in this village has been rife with tension.

Last week, a mob killed three men in Pithori Nandlal on the suspicion of being cattle thieves. The police claim the villagers caught them