Nagpur: Man suspected of sexual assault attempt on girl, 9, dies after mob beating in Pardi

An accused died after being beaten by a mob in a settlement under the Pardi police station limits in Nagpur. He was suspected of sexually assaulting and attempting to molest a nine-year-old girl. The accused, Narayandas Vaishnav, died during treatment on Tuesday, October 6.

According to the information available, Vaishnav was originally from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh and had been living in the Pardi area. The nine-year-old had gone to play at a spot near her home. Vaishnav, who lived nearby, is said to have forcibly taken her to his house and tried to sexually assault her. Residents suspected that the accused had attempted to molest the girl. A complaint was lodged at Pardi police station, and police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

While the police action was under way, an angry mob of local residents caught Vaishnav in a lane on Monday night. The mob began beating him badly, and he was seriously injured. On hearing of the assault, police reached the spot, rescued him from the crowd and admitted him to Mayo Hospital.

He was undergoing treatment at the hospital, but died at around 3.30 pm on Tuesday. Police have since begun searching for the suspects in the mob that beat him. No arrests have been reported so far.

This is the second recent case in the city in which a mob caught and beat an accused who later died. A few days ago, a thief entered the home of a religious family in Model Mill Colony in the Beltarodi area with the intention of stealing. He had tried to snatch jewellery from the body of the elderly woman of the house. Neighbours caught the thief and beat him. He, too, died later.

Thus, within a few days, two cases have come up in Nagpur in which a mob caught and beat an alleged offender, who later died. In the Pardi case, police are now identifying those who carried out the assault.