Agartala: A 40-year-old man with a history of mental illness was lynched by villagers in South Tripura’s Kalacherra village on Sunday after he fatally attacked a neighbour, police said.
Asish Debnath, known locally for his mental health issues, reportedly went on a violent spree in the morning.
Two villagers approached him in an attempt to calm him down.
“Debnath turned aggressive and attacked the two, striking one with an iron rod, killing him instantly. The second individual managed to escape,” said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Nityananda Sarkar.
After killing Desapriya Bhattacharjee, Debnath dragged the body to a nearby pond, where he stayed with the weapon.
Police arrived at the scene after being alerted by locals.
Upon spotting the police vehicle, Debnath attempted to flee but was pursued by officers and villagers. The mob eventually captured him and subjected him to a fatal assault.
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“We rushed him to a nearby health facility, where he was declared dead on arrival,” the SDPO said.
Debnath had a history of violence and was previously arrested for attacking police personnel last year but was released on bail.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into both the murder and the subsequent lynching, the officer added.
