Indian expatriate living in Dubai lynched during visit home

The UAE resident was attacked by a mob for alleged involvement in cattle theft

WhatsApp has recently brought in measures combatting the spread of rumours after a spike of mob lynchings in India.  AFP
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An Indian expatriate living in Dubai died after being lynched for alleged involvement in cattle theft.

Shahrukh Khan, 20, worked as a tailor in Dubai and had gone home to his village in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Khan died after being beaten by a mob in Bareilly district and was in a serious condition by the time he reached the police station, reported ANI, an Indian news agency.

The newspaper, Indian Express, reported that Mr Khan died due to his injuries hours after being admitted to the district hospital in Bareilly. The post-mortem report mentioned that his kidney and liver failed.

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Khan's elder brother Feroz told the Indian Express that his brother received a call on Tuesday evening and went out with some friends but did not return home that night.

Mr Feroz received a call from the police on Wednesday informing him that Khan had been admitted to the district hospital.

Khan allegedly accompanied his friends unwillingly while they stole cattle, and was unable to escape with them as they fled by crossing the Nakatia river, and he could not swim.

A complaint has been registered with the police against 25 people in Bholapur for lynching  Khan. No arrests have been made yet.

The lynching has been reported in Indian media. In July this year, WhatsApp said it would limit the number of times people in India could forward a message to five. The announcement was made after a spurt of lynchings where messages on WhatsApp spread like wildfire. In the same month, the supreme court of India condemned mob lynchings in the country.

Many states in India have banned killing cows and consumption of beef.