Seven people have been arrested in connection with the alleged mob lynching of a man whose body was found near Moolathara Dam in Palakkad district, police said on Wednesday.
What was initially reported as a death near the dam has been treated as a suspected mob lynching after investigation pointed to murder. The incident is the third alleged mob lynching reported in the district in recent years.
The identity of the deceased remains unestablished. He had reportedly been roaming in the border village for some time, and police are also making inquiries in neighbouring Tamil Nadu to identify him.
According to Meenakshipuram police, the accused, aged between 20 and 25, allegedly attacked the man with stones and wooden planks while under the influence of alcohol. Locals found the body under suspicious circumstances near the dam on Sunday morning. A post-mortem examination at Thrissur Medical College Hospital indicated signs of murder.
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Police said the deceased had been sleeping near the house of one of the accused in recent days. The accused told investigators that the man had behaved inappropriately towards some women in the household, which provoked them. They claimed they had only intended to drive him away and did not mean to kill him.
An altercation followed, during which the group allegedly restrained and assaulted the man near the dam. Police suspect the deceased may have had hearing and speaking impairments, though this has not been confirmed.
A case of unnatural death was initially registered. More serious charges are expected to be added after the accused are produced before a court. The investigation is continuing.