Assam: Man lynched for objecting to bursting of crackers during wedding

A man identified as Jatin Das,a 35-year-old labourer, was beaten to death at a wedding venue in Assam’s Ghorathal village, Nalbari district when he demanded that bursting of firecrackers be stopped after he was hit by a splinter, the second lynching incident in the state in a little over a month.

Six persons Krishna Talukdar, Bidyut Barman, Dipankar Talukdar, Achyut Talukdar, Barun Talukdar and Jiten Talukdar, have been arrested over the past 24 hours. They have been booked under Sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC, police said.

The firecrackers were burst by the bride’s family to mark the groom’s arrival to their house and a splinter from it had hit Das, police said.

Man beaten to death at a wedding ceremony on the night of 10 June in Nalbari allegedly for hitting a child who was bursting crackers. Police investigation underway. #Assam pic.twitter.com/9Yb7s1akEC

— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2018

Das’ demand that the firecrackers should not be burst angered the wedding revellers. They allegedly attacked him and beat him up which led to his death on the spot, the police said.

Police immediately rushed to the site. The bride and her parents were taken to the police station after the lynching and the wedding ceremony was not allowed to be conducted. “The incident took place around 11pm on Tuesday. The deceased was a neighbour of the family, at whose residence the marriage ceremony was under way. The revellers were bursting excessive number of firecrackers and Jatin requested them to stop it. An altercation took place after which the mob beat Das to death,” Nalbari superintendent of police Shiladitya Chetia said.

“Large number of police and CRPF personnel have been deployed at the spot and the situation is under control. Our forces are still at the spot to keep the situation under control,” Chetia added.

Mukalmua police station officer in-charge Khagen Chandra Nath said tension prevails in the village as Das’s relatives also tried to attack the wedding family and angry locals demanded that Das’ last rites be carried out in the courtyard of the bride’s house, and CRPF personal were deployed in the village.

Assam Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia described the incident as “unfortunate” and said the situation at Ghorathal village though under control is being monitored.