The incident took place in Chihudia in Jharkhand's Dumka district.

A man was beaten to death by villagers when he along with three others was allegedly trying to escape after stealing goods and valuables from a house at Chihudia in Jharkhand's Dumka district.

Bhola Hazra and three of his "accomplices" were caught by locals and thrashed on Wednesday night after they were seen escaping a villager''s house, Superintendent of Police YS Ramesh said on Thursday.

They dropped all that they had taken in their bid to escape, he said, adding that police were yet to take a note of the goods and valuables that they had apparently stolen.

Hazra, who has been jailed in the past in connection with a robbery case, died on the spot while the others managed to flee from the spot, the police official said.

Hazra was also wanted by the Punjab police for his alleged involvement in cases of burglary, the police official said.

Four villagers have been taken into custody in connection with Wednesday''s incident, he added.