Venugopal condemns alleged mob lynching, slams Kerala govt

Palakkad (Kerala), Dec 21 (PTI) AICC general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday condemned the alleged mob lynching of a Chhattisgarh native here and accused the Left government in Kerala of failing to act against the spread of fear-based propaganda.

He urged the Kerala government to provide immediate and adequate compensation to the victim's family, ensure dignified transport of his mortal remains and take strict action against all the culprits involved.

"We stand with the family in this hour of grief," he said in a post on 'X'.

The Congress leader said "the mob lynching" of Ramnarayan Bhayar, a Chhattisgarh native in Palakkad is "beyond shocking." "It is absolutely unacceptable that such violent forces take over and run amok," he said.

Recalling the incident in which a tribal youth called Madhu was lynched in Kerala in 2018, the Alappuzha MP said, "it is deplorable how a society with a rich history of communal harmony like Kerala is seeing repeated instances of mob violence." "The Kerala Government has displayed a completely lackadaisical attitude in curbing the spread of fear-based propaganda and unchecked rumour-mongering. They must answer for the lack of timely action and their complete failure in managing the law and order situation in the state," Venugopal said.

Bhayar, who hailed from Chattisgarh, was allegedly beaten to death on Wednesday evening after being accused of involvement in a theft at Kizhakeattappallam near Walayar.

Five people have been arrested so far for allegedly beating Bhayar to death on suspicion of theft, police said. PTI TGB TGB KH