Mistaken as snatchers, two women beaten by mob in Raibag

Belagavi: Two women were allegedly assaulted by a group of people in Raibag town on suspicion of being chain snatchers before being handed over to police. The incident occurred on Monday at the weekly market in Raibag.

The women, residents of Miraj taluk in neighbouring Maharashtra, were taken into custody by Raibag police following the incident. Police later registered a suo motu case in connection with the assault and the ensuing commotion.

However, as no stolen property was recovered from the women and no formal complaint of chain snatching was lodged against them, police produced them before the tahsildar and later released them.

Speaking to The Times of India, police officials said the women belonged to a nomadic community and had come to the Raibag market along with their children on weekly market day.

According to police, some people grew suspicious due to the women’s behaviour and wrongly assumed they were involved in chain snatching, leading to the assault.

Police have appealed to the public not to take the law into their own hands and to immediately inform authorities in case of any suspicion.