Noakhali: Four men were died after being beaten up viciously by an angry mob at Shubarnachar area in Noakhali on suspicion of being cattle thieves, said police.

The Char Jabbar police Officer-in-charge (OC) Nizam Uddin told NTV Online the incident took place in front of Noalia house at the village of North Kocchopia under Charjubli union of the upazila in the early hours of Thursday.

Identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.

The OC said around four hundred cows were stolen from the areas in last three months. Plunders of the cattle thieves have increased ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The night guard informed local people as a pick-up van entered into the village of Kacchopia in the early hours of Thursday. The people also tried to stop the pick-up by putting barricade on its way. The passengers on the pick-up tried to flee from the spot. However, the angry mob caught them and beaten them to death on the spot. Some of the pick-up van’s passengers managed to escape.

Local people mobbed four people as they were fuming over the previous cattle thefts.

One of the passengers was also injured during the incident and was sent to hospital.

Bodies of the deceased were sent to Noakhali General Hospital.