Five arrested as Punjab tourist beaten to death
A day after a tourist from Punjab’s Phagwara was beaten to death at a coffee ship in Bhahsunag near Dharamshala, Kangra police have registered a case at the McLeodganj police station.
The accused have been booked under sections 302 (murder), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 147 (Punishment for rioting) and 149 (offence is committed by any member of an unlawful assembly )of the Indian Penal Code.
The deceased, Navdeep Singh, was beaten to death by a mob of locals, including the coffee shop owner. The victim arrived from Phagwara at Mcleodganj on Wednesday and was accompanied by three relatives.
According to police, the incident happened around 11am on Thursday.
“The owner of the coffee shop said that he mistook a cold drink the tourist was carrying for a bottle of alcohol, after which an altercation took place,” a police official said.
The case has been registered on the complaint of the deceased’s brother Harmanpreet Singh.
A senior police official said that the tourists were attacked by the coffee shop owner, his workers and a few locals. According to eyewitnesses, the mob also included a few local taxi drivers. Navdeep fell to the ground and lost consciousness.
Following the incident, Navdeep was rushed to the zonal hospital in Dharamshala by the locals. He was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctors.
Kangra additional superintendent of police Hitesh Lakhanpal said that five persons have been arrested so far and there may be more arrests in connection with the case.
“The arrested have been sent to police remand for next five days. Investigation is still ongoing. A post-mortem was conducted and the final report will be received in a day,” he said.