Police, which lodged the FIR suo motu, have detained two persons in connection with the incident. “Preliminary investigation found that Manna was called by the accused to his friend’s residence on Sunday night. At his friend’s place, the accused tied Manna and beat him up till he became unconscious. The family somehow rescued him and took him to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries,” said a senior police officer.

On Sunday, a 23-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by residents in Jhargram after they were suspected of mobile phone theft. Sources identified the deceased as Sourav Sau, a resident of the Benageria area of Jhargram.

His friend, Akshay Mahato, who was also beaten up is said to be critical.

According to Sau’s family, he was returning home on a two-wheeler with his friend when a group of people attacked them, suspecting them to be thieves.

Similar incidents had earlier taken place in Kolkata, Salt Lake, and Pandua in Hooghly district.