Ranchi, Apr 18 (IANS): Seventeen people have been arrested on charges of burning to death three members of a family in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district, police said on Monday.
About 50 people raided the house of a man, Govardhan Bhagat, on Sunday night and set it on fire on suspicion that he abducted a boy for human sacrifice, the police said.
The incident took place in Chipo Thekka Toli village, about 80 km from here.
As they were attacked, Bhagat and other members of his family locked themselves up inside the house which the mob torched, killing three family members.
Bhagat, who has previously been jailed for murder, escaped with burn injuries.