A 28-year-old man was beaten to death in Assam’s Tinsukia district on the suspicion that he was a cow thief, PTI reported on Sunday. The police have arrested 12 people in connection with the incident.

The incident took place in Tinsukia’s Korjonga Borpathar village. The residents of the village told the news agency that the man, identified as Sarat Moran, and his associate were seen at a cowshed in a house around 1.30 am on Saturday. The owner of the property, who saw them at the cowshed, raised an alarm.

After a public trial by a kangaroo court, the mob stripped Moran and beat him up, NDTV reported. His associate managed to escape.

Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Debojit Deuri told PTI that the police took the man to the Doomdooma Civil Hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. Moran’s body was handed over to his family after a post-mortem examination.

Deuri added that the police arrested 12 people and have also set up a special investigation team to conduct an inquiry.

A case was filed against the accused under Sections 34 (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code, according to NDTV. Deuri told the news channel that it was unclear if the man was involved in cattle theft.