Palghar lynching incident: Accused tests positive for COVID-19, admitted to govt hospital

One of the accused persons arrested in connection with the Palghar lynching case has been tested positive for Coronavirus on Friday night. According to reports, the accused was kept ina police lock-up at Wada in the district along with 20 other accused persons, however, after testing positive, he has been admitted to a government hospital in Palghar. 

Further, 20 other accused persons, along with around 23 police officials, and his family members who had come in contact with him have been quarantined. Meanwhile, the health officials are trying to find out the source through which he contracted the infection. Earlier, on April 18, the officials had conducted a COVID-19 test of all the accused persons, however, they were tested negative. 

The Maharashtra police have so far arrested 15 persons, including nine minors in connection with the Palghar lynching incident. Along with it, three police officials of the Kasa Police Station in Palghar have been suspended, including two Head Constables and one Assistant Sub Inspector. Meanwhile, 35 police personnel have been transferred from the Kasa police station to desired districts.

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Palghar mob-lynching incident

On April 16, three men were allegedly lynched to death by a mob of 200 people in Gadchinchle in Maharashtra's Palghar district, as they were suspected to be thieves. Two ascetics Mahant Kalpavruksha Giri and Sushilgiri Maharaj were travelling in a vehicle driven by Nilesh Yelgade to Gujarat for attending a funeral. The aforesaid three individuals were lynched by a mob who allegedly suspected them to be child kidnappers after they reached Gadchinchale village in Dahanu taluka.

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Reportedly, a group of 4 policemen reached the spot after the Kasa Police Station received phone calls. However, the mob overturned the vehicle and police officer were beaten up, resulting in some police personnel sustaining injuries. However, some videos have emerged which show police personnel standing mutely even as the mob was attacking the three persons. The mob reportedly pelted stones at the victims' car, before all three men were pulled out of the car and beaten with sticks and rods.

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Read: Shiv Sena hits out at Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis over Palghar lynching incident

(With PTI Inputs)