Man beheads pickup driver, lynched by mob in Forbesganj

Araria: Two young men were killed within minutes of each other at the busy Marketing Yard Chowk in Forbesganj town on Thursday after one of them allegedly beheaded the other during a dispute and was later lynched by a mob, triggering panic and a shutdown of shops in the area.The violence arose from a dispute over space at the market area. Rabi Chauhan, a “sattu” seller, and Nabi Hussain alias Ali Hussain, a pickup driver, clashed over fixing their respective spots — Chauhan for placing his wooden cart and Hussain for parking his vehicle at the same location.What began as a verbal altercation soon turned deadly. In the heat of the moment, Chauhan allegedly pulled out a sharp-edged knife and inflicted multiple injuries on Hussain before beheading him in full public view.

The victim died on the spot, while the severed head fell at some distance. In the sequence that followed, the accused is said to have briefly walked carrying the severed head before placing it on the ground and attempting to flee.Eyewitnesses said although people initially watched in shock, locals soon chased and overpowered Chauhan. He was assaulted by the mob before police could intervene. The police rushed him to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way.

Araria SP Jitendra Kumar said the situation was under control and round-the-clock vigilance was being maintained. He appealed to the public not to pay heed to rumours and urged restraint, also sharing contact numbers of police officials for verification.The back-to-back killings spread rapidly, sending shockwaves through the town. In protest and fear, traders in Forbesganj downed shutters of their shops, bringing commercial activity to a halt.Police sources said CCTV footage from the area is being closely examined to identify those involved in the mob assault. Officials said efforts were underway to trace people who allegedly took law into their own hands and beat Chauhan to death. “No one is authorised to take the law into their own hands. Legal action will be initiated against those found involved,” a police officer said.The entire marketing yard area has since been turned into a virtual police camp.