Natore, June 4 -- A man accused of raping a five-and-a-half-year-old girl was beaten by angry locals at Madanhat village in Sadar upazila of Natore before being handed over to police on Wednesday evening.

The accused, Shariful Islam, a fuchka vendor from the village, was detained following the incident.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mansur Rahman of Sadar Police Station said Shariful allegedly took the child to a nearby grass field on Tuesday afternoon and violated her.

The girl was later rescued by her relatives and admitted to a local clinic.

As news of the alleged incident spread at the village, angry locals gathered and confronted the accused on Wednesday evening.

The dragged him out of his house, tied him to a tree and beat him.

On in...