Uttar Pradesh police have lodged an FIR against 30 unidentified villagers | Photo Credit: BCCL

Lucknow: In Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, a 20-year-old boy was lynched to death by a mob of over 50 villagers after he and his friends were allegedly caught trying to steal a buffalo in the early hours of Wednesday. Reported from the Bholapur Hindoliya village, the incident adds to the list of instances of mindless violence where mobs have taken law into their own hands.

The victim, one Shahrukh Khan was allegedly spotted along with three of his friends fleeing the spot. Based on eyewitness accounts, the police have lodged an FIR against 30 unidentified locals. Accomplices of the deceased have also been named in the complaint.

Law enforcement agents probing the matter said that Shahrukh was taken to the district hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Abhinandan Singh, Superintendent of Police (Bareilly city) told News18 that the deceased and three of his friends were caught trying to steal a buffalo at around 3 am last night. Villagers flocked to the spot after a farmer alerted them of the incident. Soon after, the mob began assaulting the boys mercilessly.

While his friends managed to escape, Shahrukh was rescued by police not before 6 am this morning. The deceased's brother claims that his friends coerced him into joining them despite his parents strictly warning him against stepping out at night. A tailor by profession, Shahrukh had recently returned to India after working in Dubai with his uncle for some years.

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On Wednesday, a four-member panel led by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba submitted a report to the Group of Ministers (GoM) over incidents of mob lynching in India. The panel which was tasked with examining such instances that have transpired across the country in recent months, reportedly also identified recommendations to curb such mindless violence.

Bareilly: Man dead after being thrashed for allegedly stealing cattle. SP says, 'locals handed over a group of people to police on suspicion of cattle robbery. Condition of these people was not good & so they were admitted to district hospital, where this person died.' (29.08.18) pic.twitter.com/xj7UkFrRvf — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 30, 2018

Earlier this month, IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad met WhatsApp CEO Chris Daniels in the national capital asking him to comply with India's laws. This meeting comes after investigative agencies pointed out how the messaging app was being used to summon hordes of people in the incident of any mob lynching.

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