Jharkhand Mob Lynching: It’s Happened Again, This Time With Tarbez Ansari

A 24-year-old man named Tabrez Ansari was beaten mercilessly in the state of Jharkhand on 18^th June.

On being suspected and later accused of stealing a motor cycle, the man was attacked by a mob in Dhatkidih village of Jharkhand’s Seraikela Kharsawan district. The mob tied him to an electricity pole and started beating him up. The beating was accompanied by forcing the man to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Jai Hanuman’. In spite of chanting and pleading with the mob to stop assaulting, the mob continued to beat him for around 7 hours. After falling unconscious, he was handed to the police in the morning at 6 am.

At the police station, Ansari admitted to committing theft. He was then charged under IPC Sections 457 (house-trespass), 380 (theft), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) and few others.

An FIR was lodged against Tarbez Ansari by Kamal Mahto. As stated in the Indian Express, Kamal Matho woke up to a sound and saw three men on the rooftop of his neighbour’s house at around 2 am. When Kamal raised his voice to alert everyone around, the three men including Ansari jumped from the rooftop and attempted to escape. While the other two succeeded, Ansari was caught by the villagers.

Ansari succumbed to the injuries and died on Saturday while still in judicial custody. The actual reasons for his death are yet to be confirmed. On Saturday morning he complained of not feeling well after which he was rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.

His family members are holding the merciless beating, responsible for his death. The doctors are assuming that the main cause of his death might have been due to a heart attack or blockage. Ansari’s wife on the same day filed a complaint against ten accused of mob lynching, the main accused being Pappu Mandal, who has been arrested. As mentioned in the Indian Express, those accused of this mob lynching are charged with IPC sections 302 (murder) and 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religions or religious beliefs).

Ansari’s family was shocked when they found that he was beaten for hours and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. Ansari’s uncle is of the opinion that he was mob lynched because of his religion because he was a Muslim. Had he not been a Muslim, he would be have been alive.

Another incident that once again has shamed humanity has occurred.