Main accused in Dhule lynching incident arrested

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Mumbai: A local crime branch on Sunday arrested the key accused in the Dhule lynching incident in which five men were killed by a mob on suspicions of them being child lifters.

The incident took place on July 1 when a mob lynched five tribals in Rainpada village, some 100 kilomteres from Maharashtra's Dhule district headquarters after rumours on social media floated the possibility of child lifters in the area. While 24 persons had been arrested so far, the arrest of the main accused on Sunday is likely to help investigative officers get to the source of the crime. The accused would be charged with murder under IPC section 302.

The cyber cell team of Maharashtra Police, meanwhile, has urged people not to believe in rumours - especially those circulating in social media. State CM Devendra Fadnavis too called the incident unfortunate and committed to working to spread awareness among people.

Local people are being urged to report any suspicious activities they may notice instead of taking matters in their own hands. Incidents of mob violence against people suspected of being child lifters has seen a spurt in recent months with incidents reported from across the country.

(With PTI inputs)