“The victim was unknown to the villagers, and those involved in the incident hailed from various communities. Police will act against anyone spreading misinformation or disturbing communal harmony,” the officer said.

Notably, the NSA allows authorities to detain individuals to prevent actions considered "prejudicial to the defence of India," with a maximum detention of 12 months, which can be revoked earlier too.

The Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, aims to tackle organised crime by providing special measures to deal with gangsters and anti-social activities.

Hariom Valmiki, 38, was allegedly lynched by villagers who mistook him for a thief during a night vigil around 1 am on October 2, amid rumours that a gang was using drones for theft from homes.

Five people, Vaibhav Singh, Vijay Kumar, Sahdev Pasi, Vijay Maurya, and Suresh Kumar Maurya, were arrested immediately after the incident.