Two UP Youth Die After Being Beaten, Thrown Into River for 'Cattle Smuggling' in Chhattisgarh

Police said that three youths from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh were stopped by a group of youth in Arang area of Chhattisgarh capital Raipur on Thursday night and after beating them, threw them into river leading to the death of two of them. Police have ruled out "mob lynching" angle in the incident.

Raipur: In a shocking incident, two youth hailing from Uttar Pradesh died after being beaten and thrown into a river by a group of youth, who accused them of cattle smuggling in Arang area of Chhattisgarh capital Raipur on Thursday, officials said. A third youth is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

It is learnt that on Thursday late night, 10 to 12 youths beat up three youths from UP on the charges of smuggling cattle in the area.

According to Satyendra Singh Shyam, Police Station Incharge, Arang, the three youths of a particular community from Saharanpur district of UP were taking 24 cattle in a truck to Odisha via Mahasamund. On Thursday night when the trio reached Arang, a group of 10 to 12 youths stopped the three youth and beat them up. After beating them, all the three youths were thrown into the nearby river. One of the three youths died on the spot after drowning in the river, the police officer said. One youth died during treatment, while the third youth is admitted in the hospital, he added.

Police said that the family members of the three youths have reached Arang in Raipur and the police have handed over the bodies to their families after conducting post-mortem of both the bodies. Police have launched investigation into the incident.

The truck in which the three victims were traveling has also been damaged while the cattle they were carrying were found on the nearby bridge.

ASP Kirtan Rathore said that the injured youth is not in a position to give a statement to the police. “The post-mortem report will reveal the details. Till now no such evidence has been found which shows that this is a case of mob lynching," he said.

The family members of the deceased youths said that the youths were in the cattle business.