Mizoram: Seven VDP Members Arrested for Lynching a Youth Accused of Theft
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Aizawl, Dec 25 (NationPress) The police in Mizoram have taken into custody seven members of a Village Defence Party (VDP) in relation to the murder of a 31-year-old man near Aizawl due to accusations of money theft, according to officials on Wednesday.
A law enforcement official mentioned that on Sunday, two VDP members were apprehended, and an additional five individuals were arrested from various locations over the subsequent three days.
A case of culpable homicide has been filed under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint lodged by the victim's mother, Nunthangmawii.
Reports indicate that David Lalmuanpuia, a daily wage laborer from the Tuirial Airfield area on the outskirts of Aizawl, along with his friend Lalduhsaka, 20, were allegedly assaulted by the VDP members after a pastor accused them of stealing Rs 26,000 from the church during a service on December 18.
According to Nunthangmawii, the VDP members forcibly took her son from their residence on the night of December 18 based on the pastor's complaint.
She alleged that her son was interrogated for several hours and brutally beaten, which ultimately led to his death.
"I begged for mercy from the VDP members and the pastor to step in, but neither paid attention to my pleas," the victim's mother recounted to the authorities and reporters.
After enduring extensive questioning and violence, Lalmuanpuia was discovered unconscious in the VDP facility and was rushed to a hospital in Aizawl late on the night of December 18.
As per Nunthangmawii, her son succumbed to his injuries in the early morning of December 19.
She emphasized that although her son occasionally used drugs, he was not involved in the alleged theft, as he was at home during the time of the incident.
Expressing sorrow over the tragic death of the young man, Union Home Minister K. Sapdanga urged community workers not to take justice into their own hands and to operate within the law.
This incident has caused significant unrest in the state, prompting public outcry, with many calling for severe penalties for the lynching and criticizing the pastor for allegedly ignoring the victim's mother’s cries for help.
In response, the Centre for Environment and Social Justice (CESJ), led by activist Vanramchhuangi, has called on the state government to take decisive action against those responsible.
The CESJ stated that if the government does not act swiftly, it will seek justice for the victim by approaching the National Human Rights Commission.
Moreover, it has requested amendments to the Mizoram Police Act, 2011, under which the VDP was established, to prevent unlawful community policing practices.
