Coimbatore: A man arrested in connection with the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl was thrashed by a section of the public at a government hospital when he was brought there for a medical checkup on Thursday, police said.

Santhosh Kumar faced the fury of a group of people who rained blows on his face and neck as he was being escorted by police to a van after completion of the check-up. Police managed to push him into the van and rushed out of the hospital premises.