Five people have been arrested and two minors detained after a man from Kerala was allegedly tied up with a rope and beaten to death by villagers in the Kultali area of South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, on 9 June 2025. Police confirmed the arrests on Sunday, 14 June, after a video of the assault surfaced on social media — nearly five days after the incident occurred.

What Happened in Kultali

According to police, the deceased — whose identity has not yet been officially confirmed — had travelled to Kultali to visit an acquaintance in the Sankijahan area for work purposes. On the morning of 9 June, he ventured to a local market and, unfamiliar with the area's roads, reportedly wandered into a different neighbourhood by mistake.

Villagers grew suspicious upon seeing an unknown man roaming the locality. The situation escalated when some residents demanded he produce an identity card. Unable to communicate in Bengali, the man could not allay their suspicions. A section of the crowd allegedly concluded he was a thief, following which he was tied with a rope and assaulted.

Police Response and FIR

Officers from Kultali police station responded after receiving information that a severely injured man was lying on the road. The victim was rushed to Jaynagar-Kultali Rural Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. His body was subsequently sent for autopsy, with police noting at the time that the precise cause of death was not immediately clear.

The case only gained formal momentum on Saturday, 13 June, when police came across a video circulating on social media showing the man being tied and beaten. After establishing that the individual in the video was the same man who had died, Kultali police registered a First Information Report (FIR). Eight people were initially detained; by late Saturday night, five were formally arrested, two minors were detained, and one person was released. All accused are expected to be produced before a court.

Mob Violence and a Language Barrier

The incident underscores a pattern of mob violence triggered by suspicion — often in areas where outsiders are viewed with distrust. The victim's inability to speak Bengali appears to have been a critical factor in the escalation, preventing him from identifying himself or explaining his presence. Notably, this is not an isolated case; similar incidents of mob justice on suspicion of theft have been reported across rural West Bengal and other states in recent years.

This comes amid broader national concern over vigilante violence, with human rights groups repeatedly flagging the dangers faced by migrant workers and outsiders in unfamiliar localities.

Investigation Ongoing

Police say they are examining all angles of the case. The identity of the deceased remains officially undisclosed pending verification. Further details, including the autopsy findings, are awaited.