According to the police, the youth, identified as Madhu, was severely beaten by the mob – which accused him of theft – in a forest in Kerala’s Palakkad district.

In yet another instance of brutal lynching in the country, a 27 year old “not of sound mind” was beaten to death in Kerala by a mob which accused him of theft. Triggering widespread outrage across the state, a selfie of a man with the tribal youth whose hands were tied up went viral on social networking platforms.

According to the police, the youth, identified as Madhu, was severely beaten by a group of people in a forest in Kerala’s Palakkad district. Though the mob, alleging Madhu of stealing, handed him over to the police after brutally beating him up, the 27-year old died on his way to the hospital.

Malli, the grieving mother of the slain youth said, “It was yesterday (Thursday) evening that my son was beaten up by a group of people in the forest (near Attapadi-Agali) saying that he was a thief. Then he was handed over to the police and soon he developed complications. He was taken to a hospital, where he died. He is not a thief, instead he was not of sound mind.”

And while the entire episode was shot on camera and shared extensively, popular actor-director Joy Mathew posted the visuals on social media – following which various political leaders, including chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned the incident.

“This is some sort of a fascist Malayali psyche which has developed recently and has to be tackled. If the police wish to arrest me for sharing this video in the social media, let them do that,’ said Joy Mathew.

In a post over Facebook, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote, “This is in no way good for a literate society and the progress that our state has made. I have instructed the state police chief to see that all those who have had a role to be brought before the rule of law.”

Stating that Madhu was declared “brought dead” by doctors at the hospital he was taken to, an official of the Kerala police said, “A case under section 174 CrPC against unknown persons has been filed. Arrests have not been made yet. The post-mortem examination of the body will be conducted at the Thrissur Medical College and the report will reveal more about his injuries.”

Meanwhile, the outraged local tribal community has threatened that if the people behind the incident were not arrested, they would launch a protest.

“Those who did it claim that this youth was a thief, but that’s their allegation. The state government will act very strongly and none who have done this would be spared,” said state minister of SC/ST, AK Balan.

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