A man was murdered by a mob in central India after locals suspected him and his associates of killing peacocks. Ten people were booked for murder, while survivors of the hunt face jail for slaying the country’s national birds.

The incident occurred outside Lasudiya Atri village located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh late Friday. Locals spotted four men running through the agricultural fields and suspected them of killing peacocks. A mob was quickly assembled and pursued them, capturing one of the men.

Villagers reportedly discovered four dead peacocks in his possession and beat him up, leaving him critically injured in the fields. Police were not called until after the incident.

“Someone informed the Dial 100 emergency service of the state police about the incident. A police team rushed to the village and brought the critically injured man to the hospital, where he died later,” Rakesh Sagar, superintendent of Neemuch district, said, as quoted by NDTV.

The mob ‘justice’ prompted a police manhunt, resulting in several arrests, with all the participants of the incidents now facing legal trouble. Ten men were booked for murder and rioting after the incident.

Also on rt.com Transgender women attack two men with sticks & chairs in India (VIDEO)

The deceased man, his son, and two other individuals stand accused of hunting peacocks, which is a criminal offence in India. Killing the birds has been prohibited since the 1970s, and the penalty can be up to seven years in prison.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!