An ITI student was beaten to death allegedly by a mob who mistook him as a cattle smuggler at Harindanga in South 24 Parganas district last night, triggering outrage in the area.
According to a complaint lodged by his relatives, Koushik Purkait was confined in a local club under Diamondharbour sub-division and mercilessly beaten by some people who suspected he was a part of the gang involved in smuggling of cattle in the area, a senior police officer said.
Purkait, who came to his aunt's residence in the area, was roaming around when he was confronted by the club members and forcibly taken to a room. He was later rescued by his relatives, who rushed to the spot after hearing about the incident and took him to Diamond Harbour Hospital.
He died early this morning at S S K M Hospital in Kolkata, prompting a police clampdown in the area.
Five persons were detained and one of them later arrested, the officer said, adding search is on for ten other accused, named in the FIR by the boy's aunt.
The opposition CPI(M), Congress alleged one of the 10 named in FIR was the TMC Panchayat Upa-pradhan in the area, Tapas Mallick who still remained at large. However, this was not confirmed by the police officer.
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Meanwhile, Isha Yoga Center said that around 8:30 am, a group of college students came to the Center and took a dip in the Suryakundam.
Within a few minutes after getting into the water, one student slipped into unconsciousness and immediately his friends and volunteers took him out of the water, and took him to the first-aid facility next to the Suryakund.
Immediately he was taken to Ramakrishna hospital, where he was declared brought dead and body was sent to Government Hospital.
+Isha Yoga Center expresses its deep condolences for this unfortunate event. The reason for the student's demise would be known after the Government hospital gives the post-mortem report.
