Jhalawar: A group of eight to 10 men assaulted an elderly man on Saturday, January 3, in the Aklera town of Jhalwar district in Rajasthan, after they suspected him of petty theft.
A video of the incident shared on social media shows the unidentified elderly man surrounded by a group of men who were seen repeatedly striking him on his head and body, and even using sticks to beat him on a highway.
They carried him to the other side of the highway and continued beating him, while the man, weakened after the blows, was unable to defend himself. The man could be seen without footwear and disoriented, calling out for help, while the mob continued to assault him.
Speaking to Siasat.com, Jhalwar Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Kumar confirmed that a case had been registered and three accused had been arrested on January 3. When pointed out that there were more than three people involved in the assault, the SP stated that only three could be identified.
According to the police, the accused were released on bail soon after.
“The victim was a nomad, roaming in the area when the accused individuals approached him and accused him of petty theft,” said SP Kumar.
RJD calls out mob lynchings in India
Commenting on the increase in mob incidents across India, the vice-president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Jharkhand condemned the mob attack on the elderly man.
“Despite the well-known causes of mob lynchings, neither the central government nor the state governments are taking any strict action against them. In Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states, this has become a common occurrence,” she said.
Referring to previous lynching cases, including the death of Tripura student Angel Chakma, she alleged the Centre remained apathetic.
“All these beasts are killing a human being like an animal,” she added.
Chhattisgarh Congress Sevadal also posted the video on X, stating that the government’s silence on lynching has “turned deadly.”
“This is not nationalism, it’s open violence,” the post read.
