Palghar mob lynching accused tests positive for coronavirus COVID-19

Mumbai: One of the accused arrested in a mob leaching case in Palghar, and was ket at the Wada police station has been found to be infected with coronavirus COVID-19. The accused was first admitted in an isolation ward of Palghar rural hospital and is being shifted to a prisoner ward at JJ Hospital.

Although it is not confirmed, the accused is believed to have contracted the infection as almost 20-30 accused were lodged in a single cell at the prison.

On May 1, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Maharashtra Police arrested five more persons in connection with the lynching of sadhus in Palghar. With this, the total number of persons arrested in the case has reached 101 while a hunt is underway to nab a few others. 

In another development, the Supreme Court on Friday (May 1) directed the Maharashtra government to submit a status report on the investigation in the Palghar lynching incident. The plea alleged that the incident was a failure on the part of the police as a mob had gathered in the area in violation of the lockdown rules. Refusing stay on the investigation, the apex court asked the petitioner to serve a copy of the plea to the standing counsel for Maharashtra.

The incident took place at Gadchinchle village on April 16 when the two monks were heading towards Surat from Mumbai in a car with a driver to attend a funeral. A mob of villagers stopped them and beat them to death on suspicion that they were thieves, even as a few police personnel had reached the spot.

Some of the accused later fled into the dense forest around the village. According to an official, the police used drones to hunt them.