At least six police officers and constables were injured in heavy stone pelting by an angry mob at Akhlaspur village at the outskirts of Bihar’s Bhabua town on Tuesday night. The police team was trying to rescue a rich farmer, who was assaulted and kept captive by the villagers for kidnapping a five-year-old boy for allegedly stealing some paddy from his barn.
The mob became angry and attacked the police team after they tried to rescue the farmer. Sub divisional police officer Sunil Kumar, station house officer (SHO) Ramanand Mandal, sub inspector Vinay Kumar and constables Sanjay Mishra, Ritesh Kumar and Ajit Singh were injured in the attack.
Superintendent of police (SP) Lalit Mohan Sharma reached the place with reinforcement and the policemen and the injured farmer Abhay Pratap Singh were rescued and admitted to sadar hospital at Bhabua. Police resorted to lathi charge to rescue the policemen and farmer and control the situation. Over a dozen assailants were arrested and brought to the town police station.
The villagers alleged that the farmer, Abhay Pratap, had kidnapped, confined and assaulted the five-year-old boy and the child had been traceless since Tuesday morning.
The child was later found tied up in a room situated in the business campus of the farmer at Bhabua and there were injury marks on his body. He was later admitted to sadar hospital.
The SP said that two cases have been registered with the Bhabua police station- One against the farmer for kidnapping, wrongful confinement, assault and confession leading to recovery. Another case had been registered against the mob for attacking and assaulting the policemen on duty. The statement of the child would be registered in the court under Section 164 of criminal procedure and the farmer will be sent to jail on Wednesday.
