Seraikela (Jharkhand), Jun 27: A local court in Jharkhand's Seraikela-Kharswan district on Tuesday convicted ten persons in connection with the 2019 Tabrez Ansari lynching case.

The quantum of punishment will be announced on July 5, public prosecutor Ashok Kumar Rai said. One of the accused, Kushal Mahali, had died during the course of trial, he said, adding two were acquitted for lack of evidence.

The convicted persons - Bhim Singh Munda, Kamal Mahato, Madan Nayak, Atul Mahali, Sunamo Pradhan, Vikram Mandal, Chamu Nayak, Prem Chand Mahali, Mahesh Mahali - were taken into custody soon after they were convicted by the court of Additional District Judge-I Amit Shekhar. The prime accused, Prakash Mandal alias Pappu Mandal, is already in judicial custody.

Ansari, who was beaten up with rods over alleged theft, was lynched in Dhatkidih village under Seraikela police station on June 17, 2019.

Ansari, who worked as a labourer and welder in Pune, had come home to celebrate Eid when he was killed over suspicion of trying to steal a motorcycle.

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New Delhi (PTI): A couple has been arrested for allegedly stealing cash or valuables from elderly passengers travelling in e-rickshaws in west Delhi's Moti Nagar area, police said on Sunday.

The accused has been identified as Suresh (25) and his wife, the police said, adding that they were apprehended after an investigation into the theft of Rs 1 lakh from a 60-year-old passenger earlier this week.

According to the police, the complainant, a resident of Kirti Nagar, had hired an e-rickshaw from a showroom on Shivaji Marg on May 13.

The man was carrying a small bag containing Rs 1 lakh cash. After reaching his destination, he found that the bag had been torn and the cash was missing, they said.

An e-FIR was registered at Moti Nagar police station on May 14 and an investigation was launched. A team analysed CCTV footage from the route taken by the complainant and identified the e-rickshaw allegedly used in the crime.

"Using technical surveillance and local inputs, the accused couple was traced and apprehended," a senior police officer said.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that they used to target elderly passengers travelling in e-rickshaws and steal cash and valuables from their bags during transit without raising suspicion.

Police recovered Rs 90,000 of the stolen amount from the possession of the accused along with the e-rickshaw used in the commission of the offence.

"The accused had no previous criminal involvement on record. Further investigation is underway to ascertain whether the couple was involved in other similar theft cases targeting passengers and senior citizens in different parts of the city," the police officer added.