Two men were tied on a pole and beaten by a group for allegedly stealing iron pieces from a yard in Bihar's Muzaffarpur. The two fainted due to the beating, the police said, adding they intervened on time and brought the two men to the police station, away from the mob.
However, it has been alleged the police came to the spot an hour after the beating began.
A police officer said both the men accused of trying to steal iron are also residents of Muzaffarpur. The police are questioning them.
The officer said iron sheds are being built near a bridge in the town. In the past one week, however, over a quintal of iron has been stolen from the structures.
On Sunday afternoon, some locals claimed they have identified the two men as iron thieves. When the locals started running, the two men also tried to run, the police said. The mob eventually caught the two men, tied them to the police and thrashed them.
A video of the incident has been shared widely on social media.
The police said they are investigating the matter.
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