The incident occurred at the Tasati tea garden on Sunday evening when locals saw a person moving suspiciously in the area, an officer of Falakata police station said.

“Over 250 people had beaten up the man with fists and also kicked him. He was seriously injured when we recovered him from the mob,” the officer said.

The man, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, was declared brought dead at the Birpara hospital, hospital sources said.

“Seventeen people have been arrested in connection with the incident and they will be produced at the court on Monday. Further investigation is on,” district Superintendent of Police Nagendra Nath Tripathi said.

The incident comes a week after two people were beaten up on suspicion of being child-lifters in separate incidents in the district last Sunday. PTI ACD

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