Police in Maharashtra's Palghar district averted potential mob violence against two 'sadhus' (ascetics) in a village after the residents mistook them as child lifters, nearly three years after three persons were lynched in the district over similar suspicion, an official said on Tuesday.

Palghar Rural Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said two men were spotted at Chandranagar village, within the limits of Vangaon police station, around 11.30 am on Sunday. A crowd gathered in no time after some villagers suspected the duo to be child lifters, said the official.