AGARTALA: A man assigned to dispel rumours about child lifters was lynched by villagers, who, ironically, took him to be a child thief, at Kalacherra Bazaar in South Tripura district late on Thursday night. This followed hours after villagers beat to death a garment-seller in Mohanpur in West Tripura district for similar reasons. Sukanta Chakrabarty (33), who had been moving from village to village asking people not to get swayed by rumours over a loudspeaker, was caught and beaten to death. Two other men, who were accompanying Chakrabarty, were also assaulted. The vehicle they were travelling in was also damaged."The incident took place when Chakrabarty and his companions reached Kalacherra in the evening. Local youths attacked them on suspicion of their being child thieves," SP (South Tripura) Jalsingh Meena said. "The villagers attacked the three even though the latter repeatedly said they were sent by the government for the good of the people," he added.On Friday, police began an investigation into the attack and took four persons into custody.Villages in the border state, where BJP came to power for the first time in March, were on edge ever since rumours about the killing of an 11-year-old boy by suspected organ smugglers earlier this week.The three garment-sellers, who were attacked in Mohanpur, were Jahir Khan, Khurshid Khan and Guljar Khan, all from Uttar Pradesh . Of them, Jahir Khan succumbed to his injuries. The place where they were attacked is close to a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) camp. Khurshid and Guljar could escape along with their driver, Swapan Miah, with the help of TSR personnel. One person was arrested in connection with the case.Chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb appealed to people to maintain peace and not pay heed to rumours. He alleged that CPM is trying to tarnish the image of his government. Law minister Ratanlal Nath and BJP state general secretary Pratima Bhowmik said they have alerted party workers to thwart any such incident.

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