Man lynched on Humsafar Exp in UP over sexual abuse of minor girl

A 34-year-old railway contract labourer was beaten to death by fellow passengers on a moving Humsafar Express train between Lucknow and Kanpur after he allegedly sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl, the police said on Friday.

The deceased identified as Prashant Kumar, a native of Bihar.

He was caught by the victim's family and other passengers after the incident on Tuesday night.

Additional DG (Railway) Prakash D said on Friday that Kumar had boarded the Humsafar Express from Siwan, Bihar, along with the victim's family.

He allegedly offered his berth to the 11-year-old girl and sexually assaulted her while her mother was away.

The girl reported the incident to her mother, who informed her family and other passengers.

Enraged by the sexual assault, the victim's family and passengers thrashed Kumar.

He was taken into custody by the GRP at Kanpur Central station.

Due to his deteriorating health, the GRP took Kumar to KPM Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said the officer.

The victim's mother has filed an FIR against Kumar under section 74 (criminal force to any woman intending to outrage her modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the ADG said.

He added that the FIR has been transferred to GRP Lucknow for further investigation.

A post-mortem of the deceased body was conducted by a panel of three doctors in Kanpur, and the body was later handed over to Kumar's family for transportation to Siwan, Bihar, for the last rites.