A man in West Burdwan’s Jamuria thrashed to death four persons early on Friday allegedly to take revenge on three of them for filing a complaint of theft and assault against him with the police a few days ago.

Sadhu Hembram, 35, who the police called “mentally unstable”, was arrested from the spot after the incident.

The deceased were Subodh Bauri, 62, Amoj Mandal, 45, and Prashanta Saha, 57, all residents of Bankura and workers of a country liquor shop in Jamuria’s Poniati village, and Kaliya Bhuniya, 64, of Kulti, who had come to Jamuria to visit a relative.

On Tuesday, Sadhu, a habitual drinker, assaulted the employees of the liquor shop that he used to frequent. In a drunken state, he ransacked the shop. Later, he was arrested by the police based on complaints filed by shop manager Dhiman Mandal, but granted bail by the court on Thursday.

Just around midnight, Sadhu scaled the boundary wall of the country spirit shop and entered the room where the three employees were sleeping. “First, he hit them with a boulder and then repeatedly with a stick. I was also sleeping in the room but managed to escape,” said Dhiman.

“I came out of the shop and started yelling for help. People, including Kaliya rushed out hearing my shouts. The police were informed. Sadhu, armed with the stick, came out of the shop and started chasing people. Kaliya came in Sadhu’s way and was badly beaten up with the stick. He did not survive,” added Dhiman. He mentioned that he, as the shop’s manager who often refused Sadhu liquor on credit, was perhaps the prime target. “I woke up in time and fled or else I also could have been killed.”

The police arrested Sadhu but residents were angry with them. “Kaliya was thrashed in presence of the cops but they did nothing to stop the killer,” said a resident. The police refuted the charge and said they acted swiftly and arrested Sadhu, stopping his rampage.

“The police had reached the spot immediately after getting information and arrested accused Sadhu Hembram. He had beaten four persons to death. We are now investigating the incident,” said Tathagata Pandey, assistant commissioner of police (central 1).

The police have sent bodies to Asansol district hospital for autopsy.

Bereaved kin demanded Rs 10 lakh each from liquor shop owner Paresh Mandal as compensation. Mandal said he did not have that kind of money. “If they want, I can engage one member from each of the family in my shop,” he said.