LAHORE: An angry mob thrashed a man in Baghbanpura on Monday suspecting him as a child kidnapper.

Mohsin, a mechanic of Chungi Amar Sidhu, was captured by some people in Daroghwala area, alleging that he with his two accomplices was snatching a child from a woman.

Soon a large number of people gathered there and started beating Mohsin with clubs, kicks and fists. The mob also blocked road and started raising slogans against police.

A heavy contingent of police, led by senior police officers, arrived at the scene and tried to rescue Mohsin from the mob. The mob resisted them, at which a police official resorted to aerial firing to disperse the mob but the mob refused to give in.

They blocked the road for more than three hours and lodged a strong protest against police.

Some senior police intervened into the matter and after negotiation, they got the custody of the suspect.

The policeman who resorted to aerial firing was suspended from service.

Senior Superintendent of Police Muntazir Mehdi told reporters no woman had yet approached police to lodge a complain into the incident, adding that Mohisn was taken into custody and they would investigate the matter.

This is not the first incident in which people took law into their hands on suspicion of kidnapping.

Three days ago, trafHe wardens and Dolphin Force officials tortured the driver of Edhi Foundation Ambulance who was transporting 12 children recovered during search operation to Edhi Home Gulberg.

Also, people had thrashed a suspected kidnapper in Saeed Park of Shahdara a few days ago, before handing him over to police. The same episode was repeated in Factory Area where people caught a suspected kidnapper, beat him up and handed him over to police.

One such incident happened in Badami Bagh a weel< before.