On Wednesday morning, the police identified the main culprit as Alphajoz Timung alias Alpha, who allegedly instigated the lynching of two youth artists Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath at Panjuri village under Dokmoka police station in the hill district on June 8 evening.

After rentless search for the man who sent out the message that the youths are child abductors, the Assam police finally caught him nearby the Panjuri village.

Police has so far arrested 28 persons including Alphajoz Timung in connection with the lynching incident.

On June 8 evening, the main culprit Alphajos Timung allegedly first got into a small altercation with two Guwahati youth Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath near Kangthilangso waterfall and Alphajoz alleged that they were child lifters.

The two Guwahati youths had refused the allegation and also tried to avoid him and left the place.

Immediately, Alphajoz called up some his friends and pelted stones on the duo's car.

Alphajoz also called up some people of the village and stated that, he had seen two child kidnappers who left from the place in a black colour SUV and repeatedly called up the villagers to stop the car and attack the child abductors.

Assam DGP Kuladhar Saikia said that, Alphajoz Timung had directed the villagers to attack the victims by spreading rumours as the two youths are child abductors.

“Alphajoz sent message to the villagers through his mobile phone that, two youth came here to abduct child. Accordingly, the villagers came out to the tri junction of the area and assaulted the youths. The two were beaten to death by a mob,” Assam DGP Kuladhar Saikia said.

On the other hand, some sources said that, the youths met a unknown lady at Kangthilangso area and were engaged in an altercation with Alphajoz Timung.

In 2014, Alphajoz Timung was allegedly involved in the killing of a person named Mith Das.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)