Aizawl, Dec 26 (IANS): Mizoram Police have arrested seven members of a Village Defence Party (VDP) in connection with killing a 31-year-old man near Aizawl over allegations of stealing money, officials said on Wednesday.

A police official said that on Sunday, police arrested two VDP members and five more persons were arrested from different places during the past three days.

The police have registered a case of culpable homicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint filed by the victim's mother Nunthangmawii.

Police said that David Lalmuanpuia, a daily wage earner of Tuirial Airfield locality, on the outskirt of Aizawl and his friend Lalduhsaka, 20, were reportedly beaten by VDP members after a pastor alleged to the vigilantes that Rs 26,000 was stolen from quarters by the burglars while he was attending church service on December 18.

Lalmuanpuia's mother Nunthangmawii alleged that the VDP members took her son from their house on December 18 night after getting a complaint from the pastor.

She claimed that the VDP members questioned her son for several hours and constantly assaulted him mercilessly, leading to his death.

"I pleaded for mercy to the VDP members and the pastor as well to intervene, but none listened to me," the victim's mother told the police and the media.

After prolonged questioning and assault, Lalmuanpuia was found unconscious in the VDP room and was shifted to the hospital in Aizawl late on December 18 night.

According to Nunthangmawii, her son succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of December 19.

She said that though her son took drugs sometimes, he was not involved in the theft case as he had been at home when the theft reportedly took place.

Expressing his regret over the killing of the 31-year-old man, Union Home Minister K. Sapdanga urged those involved in community work not to take the law into their hands and act within its framework.

The incident has rocked the state leading to public outrage, with many demanding stringent punishment for the lynching and blaming the pastor for allegedly failing to respond to the victim's mother's plea.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Environment and Social Justice (CESJ), led by social activist Vanramchhuangi urged the state government to take appropriate action against the accused persons.

The CESJ said in a statement that if the government fails to act promptly, it will approach the National Human Rights Commission to seek justice for the victim.

It also demanded that the Mizoram Police Act, 2011, under which the VDP was formed, be amended to prevent community policing outside the law's boundaries.