Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Mar 8 (IANS): A rape accused, who was brutally thrashed after being caught by the villagers in Sachendi area, has succumbed to injuries.

The accused, Subodh Bajpayee, had allegedly raped a woman when she had gone to nearby fields on Saturday. He was handed over to the police and lodged at a temporary jail in Chaubeypur where he died on Sunday.

The body has been sent for post mortem examination.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Brijesh Kumar Srivastava said, "The autopsy will establish whether the accused died of internal injuries due to severe beating or not."

The SP said both the woman and the accused were residents of the same village.

"The woman had gone to the nearby fields when Subodh allegedly waylaid her and raped her. The woman returned home and narrated the ordeal to her family members after which an FIR was lodged at the Sachendi police station.

Meanwhile, the villagers continued their hunt for the accused. On Saturday, they caught hold of him and handed him to the local police after beating him black and blue," he said.

"We have launched an investigation to ascertain the actual cause of Subodh's death," the SP said.

The family of the accused has demanded a fair probe into the incident.