Mistaken as kidnapper, mentally challenged man thrashed

He was beaten up after he chased some children who were teasing him

KARACHI: Police have handed the custody of a mentally-challenged man over to the Edhi Foundation after a charged mob thrashed him for ‘kidnapping’ children.

A mentally-challenged man was beaten up by a mob on Sunday in Karimabad within the limits of the Azizabad police station. "He (the mentally challenged man) tried to catch the children after they teased him," said Azizabad SHO Jamal Leghari. "Upon hue and cry of the children, the mob thought that he was trying to kidnap the children and they just caught him and started beating him up."

The officer said that it was not a case of kidnapping but was a mere misunderstanding, adding that the police had brought him to a hospital for treatment and later shifted him to Edhi Foundation as he did not even know his name.

The police have also detained a few suspects for their involvement in thrashing the mentally ill man. Further investigations are underway.