A man was beaten up in West Bengal's Howrah district on Sunday, and a pick-up van was set ablaze by a mob who suspected that he was smuggling cattle, police said.
The incident happened in Pakuria in the Domjur police station area in the early hours when a group of three-four men was trying to get a bull into the van, they said.
Locals intercepted them suspecting them to be cattle smugglers who were stealing the bull. While all in the group fled after being chased, Md Izhar was caught by the mob, police said.
They thrashed him, and set the pick-up van on fire, a police officer said.
Izhar was rescued by the police and admitted to a nearby hospital. His condition is stated to be stable, the officer said.
He is being questioned to understand the motive of the group, he said.
Meanwhile, raids were on in the area to nab those behind the violence, police said.
Some people have already been detained for the attack on Izhar and the torching of the pick-up van, they said.
The bull was rescued by the police and is at present kept at the Domjur police station.
