A man was beaten by a mob over allegations of molesting a nine-year-old girl in Rajshahi’s Paba upazila on Monday.

Police went to the spot, rescued and detained the accused, Matin Ali, 45, a van driver of Duari area in Nowhata, and admitted him to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

The incident took place on the highway in the Nowhata area on Monday afternoon, said police.

Paba Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Hamid said the 9-year-old girl, from Modonhati village, boarded a van driven by Matin Ali while returning home.

During the journey, the van driver touched the child inappropriately. The child protested, but he allegedly repeated the behaviour several times on the way to Modonhati, police said.

After returning home, the child informed her family members about the incident. As the news of the incident spread, enraged locals caught the van driver and beat him up.

On information, police went to the scene, took the accused into custody. Police also spoke with the victim and her family members.

The OC said the child’s father filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act, 2000.

Necessary legal steps are being taken in connection with the incident, he added.