Two persons were assaulted by an angry mob and their motorcycle was torched after the duo was alleged to be behind a recent spate of goat lifting in the Settlement More area of Jhargram in West Midnapore.
The youths identified as Tanmay Bera and Chinmoy Bera, residents of Naharia village under the limits of Jhargram police station, were caught by local residents near Kolabari area after they tried to flee on the motorcycle.
The duo was brought back to the Settlement More locality and bashed up. As the police arrived, the irate crowd surrounded the police personnel and stopped them from taking the two into custody.
Soon after this, a section of the crowd blocked the Jhargram-Lodhashuli State Highway-9 in protest, the police said.
As the crowd turned unruly, a large police contingent led by SDPO Vivek Verma reached the spot and resorted to mild cane charge to lift the blockade.
Seven persons, including the two youths, were arrested, the police said.
