Suspecting that the family had kidnapped a child for a "sacrifice ritual", angry mob set fire to their hut.
Highlights
- Mob suspected the family had kidnapped a child for a 'sacrifice ritual'
- Nearly 5,000 people surrounded their hut and set it on fire on Sunday
- Three died but a child survived and is seriously injured
Three members of a family accused of "child sacrifice" were burnt alive by mob at a village in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district last evening.
According to the police, the mob suspected that the family of 60-year-old Gowardhan Mahto in Gudi Theka Toli village had kidnapped a child from a neighbouring village for a "sacrifice ritual".
On Sunday evening, around 5000 people surrounded the hut where the family lived and set it on fire. Mr Mahto, his wife and daughter-in-law were killed in the fire. One child survived, but is seriously injured. 16 people have been arrested by the police.
"They locked the house and set it on fire. We haven't found any girl there, so for now they are just rumours", said a police official of the area.
Police rushed to the area immediately, but could bring the mob under control only close to midnight.
Lohardaga is located nearly 70 kilometers from state capital Ranchi.
Last year, a man was beheaded in Gumla district, allegedly for better rains. In August, five women were killed in a village 45 kilometres from capital Ranchi on allegations of witchcraft.