Two killed in mob attack over suspected cattle theft in Bagdogra

PRASHANT ACHARYA

BAGDOGRA,: Tension prevailed in the Tarabari–Shivmandir area near Bagdogra and Matigara on Saturday after two persons were killed and three others injured in an alleged mob attack following suspicion of cattle theft in the early hours of the morning.

According to police and local reports, five persons allegedly arrived in the Tarabari area in a car and a pickup vehicle between around 2:30 am and 3 am, prompting local residents to raise an alarm amid concerns over recent cattle-theft incidents.

The group was reportedly chased from Tarabari towards Dhimal, where local residents allegedly intercepted them. A violent confrontation followed, during which the suspected cattle thieves were allegedly assaulted. Two persons died in the incident, while three others sustained injuries.

The deceased have been identified by police as Shahid Akhtar, a resident of Sonapur in Chopra, and Sajjad Mohammad of Haryana. The injured have been identified as Amir Sattar, Akram Khan and Arif Khan, all from Haryana, according to the Siliguri Metropolitan Police.

The situation escalated further when the vehicles allegedly used by the group were vandalised and a pickup vehicle was set on fire. Police teams from Bagdogra and Matigara reached the area and took steps to bring the situation under control.

Senior officers of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police reached the spot as tension spread across the area. The injured were taken for medical treatment, while the bodies were sent for post-mortem examination.

Police have launched raids to identify and arrest those allegedly involved in the fatal assault and vandalism. A separate investigation is also underway to establish whether the five persons were actually involved in cattle theft.

Police later said four persons had been arrested in connection with the alleged lynching and that a search was continuing for others allegedly involved.

Residents have claimed that cattle-theft incidents have been reported in surrounding rural areas in recent months, creating apprehension among villagers. However, the allegation that the five persons were attempting to steal cattle remains a matter for police investigation and should not be treated as established fact.

The incident has once again raised concerns over mob violence and vigilantism, with police now investigating both the circumstances that led to the confrontation and the deaths of the two men.