Mob attacks bus stand over ‘rumoured’ death

Belagavi: An angry mob in Raibag that was protesting the death of a woman was caned by the police. The mob had gathered in front of the bus stand and had stoned two buses and several shops. To bring the situation under control, the police ordered a lathi charge.

The mob was acting on a rumour that 35 year old Rehmat Bi Meer Saab had been killed on Tuesday night during a fight between her family and workers in a stone crusher unit in Nandikurli village. Rehmat Bi was actually one of the 20 people who had attacked the crusher unit workers with sticks and stones, as proved by CCTV footage.

The footage also showed that she had fallen accidentally and had died of a possible head injury. She was immediately taken to a hospital where she was declared dead. By Wednesday morning, the rumour had spread in Raibag. The rumours had angered many people, including Rehmat’s acquaintances in Raibag, who took out the protest.

An investigating officer said that the group of 20 people who had attacked the stone crusher unit were families that lived behind that unit. They were reportedly angry with the unit owner since he had not employed them in the unit and he had closed access to a certain ground which they used for defecation.