Victims had no chance of escape

CHIKBALLAPUR: Nine youths, suspected to be thieves, were lynched by villagers in two separate incidents in Muddalapalli and Yerogotta villages of Chinthamani taluk in Chikballapur district on Tuesday evening.The deceased, aged around 22 to 30 years, had come in two Tata Sumo vehicles.According to sources, a fivemember gang in a Tata Sumo came to Muddalapalli and asked one Tirumalamma (45) for directions.While she was answering them, they snatched her ornaments, gagged her after tying her to a tree and escaped.Tirumalamma managed to spit the cloth out and raised an alarm.Immediately, villagers who were grazing sheep nearby, gave the Tata Sumo a hot chase.As the driver was unable locate the main road, the villagers pulled the five occupants out and assaulted them with clubs and long rods, killing three of them on the spot.Police, who arrived at the spot, managed to save two of them and rushed them to Nimhans, where their condition is said to be critical.When word of the incident spread in the area, villagers of Yerragottahalli of Chinthamani taluk stopped another Tata Sumo carrying six people and torched it, giving no chance for the occupants to escape, charring all the six to death.Central range Inspector General of Police Malini Krishna Murthy, who rushed to the spot, confirmed to Express that nine people were killed in the two incidents.The identify of the deceased is yet to be ascertained.However, according to preliminary reports, they could be from Bellur village of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.Chikballapur Superintendent of Police D T Pawar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Nanaiah and senior officers were camping in the village, where additional forces have been deployed.