Sambalpur: A man from Kerala, who had come to Sambalpur to look for work, was brutally assaulted by a mob on Sunday on suspicion of being a child-lifter. Police on Monday detained five persons and are on the lookout for others involved.The attack comes days after a Delhi woman and her male colleague from Gujarat were asaullted by a mob in Rayagada district on suspicion of being child-lifters.Police said 31-year-old Vishnu S, a resident of Elopi area in Kerala, had earlier worked as a welder in construction projects in Bargarh district, but had been unemployed for the past few months. He had come to Sambalpur in search of work.According to Sambalpur additional SP Ajay Mishra, the incident took place in Dhobapada area under Badabazar police station limits. “Locals reportedly noticed an unfamiliar man moving around. It aroused suspicion, following which a group of youths surrounded him, branded him as a ‘child-lifter’ and allegedly thrashed him,” Mishra said.Video clips of the assault have since gone viral. In one of the videos, the injured man is seen being dragged by a group of youngsters and repeatedly kicked and beaten. In another clip, some youths are seen opening and checking his bag while he lay on the ground, injured.Upon receiving information about the assault, a team from Khetrajpur police station reached the spot, rescued the man and took him to the police station.“The man’s mental condition appeared unstable. A communication gap, as locals could not understand his language, is suspected to have led to the misunderstanding that triggered the assault,” Mishra said.Police have registered a suo motu case. Efforts are on to identify and trace others involved using CCTV footage and the viral videos. “Further investigation is underway and action will be taken against all those found involved,” Mishra said.Police, meanwhile, got in touch with one of Vishnu’s friends and managed to communicate with him. As Vishnu expressed desire to return home, arrangements have been made to send him back to Kerala by train, the officer added.
