Man lynched in Jharkhand’s Godda, family alleges killing driven by religious hatred
Godda, Jharkhand: A mob killing in Jharkhand’s Godda district has triggered outrage after a 40-year-old Muslim man was allegedly beaten to death. The incident occurred in the Podaiyahat police station area, where the body of Pappu Ansari was found in a field between Matihani and Latta villages on Thursday morning.
Ansari was a resident of Ranipur village under the Pathargama police station limits. He had reportedly gone to the area after being called on the pretext of settling a payment related to cattle delivery. According to his family, he was called again early in the morning to collect money. He was then told that the cattle would not be handed over. When he tried to leave, he was allegedly attacked from behind and surrounded by a group of men.
His brother, Mohammad Naseem, alleged that Ansari was stripped after his brother was identified as a Muslim, and then brutally assaulted. He claimed the attackers used multiple weapons like a farsa, sticks, arrows and a chisel. Naseem alleged the assault continued repeatedly referring to his religious identity.
The incident is said to have taken place during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday in Matihani village. Police said villagers caught Ansari around 1 am on suspicion of cattle theft and allegedly beat him with sticks. Senior police officials reached the spot after receiving information, and the body was sent to Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination.
During the investigation, police recovered slippers, blood-stained sticks, a burnt mobile phone, gutkha packets, khaini and ashes from the scene, as reported by The Indian Express. Headquarters Deputy Superintendent of Police JPN Chaudhary said the man had been beaten to death and that efforts were underway to identify and arrest those involved.
Police sources said Ansari had previous cases related to cattle theft and copper theft registered against him and claimed he had arrived in the village with three others in a pickup vehicle, who managed to flee when he was caught. The family, however, rejected this version, maintaining that the killing was not linked to theft but was an act of mob violence driven by religious animosity.
Naseem alleged that no elected representative or senior official had visited the family after the incident. Ansari is survived by four daughters and a young son.
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Karnataka bypolls: Over 60 per cent voter turnout in Bagalkot, Davanagere South till 5 pm
Bengaluru (PTI): Over 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in both Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, where bypolls were held on Thursday.
While the turnout in Bagalkot was 65.68 per cent, it was 63.04 per cent in Davanagere South.
While the ruling Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP aims to wrest them and deliver a setback to its rival, which is currently witnessing an "internal power struggle" over leadership.
The bypolls were necessitated due to the demise of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).
A total of over 2.59 lakh eligible voters are expected to cast their votes at around 319 polling stations in Bagalkot, where nine candidates are in the fray.
In Davanagere South, over 2.31 lakh eligible voters are expected to vote across 284 polling stations, with 25 candidates contesting.
The BJP has fielded former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath from Bagalkot, and a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, from Davanagere South.
The Congress has given tickets to family members of the late legislators in both constituencies. Bagalkot candidate Umesh Meti is the son of H Y Meti, while Samarth Mallikarjun from Davanagere South is the grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
