Mangaluru Mob Lynching: Police tried to bury case, suspension order confirms cover-up attempt
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Mangaluru: The police department’s failure in handling the brutal mob lynching of Wayanad native Ashraf in Mangaluru has now been officially confirmed, with a suspension order of three officers clearly exposing an attempted cover-up by officers of the Mangaluru Rural Police Station.
The suspension order, issued by Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, holds three personnel — Inspector Shivakumar K.R., Head Constable Chandra P., and Civil Police Constable Yallaling — responsible for dereliction of duty in the chilling lynching case. Their actions, or lack thereof, reflect a shocking level of indifference, negligence, and an attempt to mislead both the public and higher authorities.
Despite clear signs and local testimonies pointing to a mob lynching, , the police had initially tried to portray it as an unnatural death. This deliberate misrepresentation appears to be a calculated move to water down the severity of the crime. This has now been confirmed, with a clear explanation provided in the suspension order.
The suspension order points out that the three officers failed to carry out their basic duty — to inform superiors and to register a case based on the gravity of the crime. Instead, they chose to downplay the matter, giving the accused more time to escape scrutiny.
What the Suspension Order Reveals:
The facts outlined in the suspension order are damning. On April 27, between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM, an unidentified body was found near a field behind Bhatra Kallurti Daivasthana in Kudupu. A complaint led to a case being filed as a simple UDR by the Mangaluru Rural Police Station.
According to the suspension order, the reason for suspending the three officials has been clearly stated. Based on a report by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, South Sub-Division, Mangaluru City Police, a complaint was registered on 27 April between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM regarding an unidentified body found near the field behind Bhatra Kallurti Daivasthana in Kudupu village, Mangaluru taluk. The case was registered at the Mangaluru Rural Police Station as an Unnatural Death Report (UDR). Following a complaint filed by a person named Deepak on 28 April, a case (Crime No. 37/2025) was registered under sections 189(2), 191(1)(3), 115(2), 103(2), 240, and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to Deepak’s phone call to the police, during a cricket match being played on the field, a group of players and spectators attacked the unidentified individual. The inspector and staff of Mangaluru Rural Police Station had received this information.
Inspector Shivakumar K.R. reportedly chose not to alert his superiors and went ahead with registering it as a UDR, essentially trying to sweep the incident under the carpet.
Head Constable Chandra P., attached to the Intelligence Wing, was informed by Deepak of the Mangaluru Traffic East Police Station but failed to follow up or report the matter further.
Civil Police Constable Yallaling, who was on beat duty at the site of the match, also failed to report the mob violence he witnessed, thus compounding the department’s collective failure.
These officers weren’t just negligent — they actively suppressed evidence of a murder. Despite having access to eyewitness information and being present at the scene, none of them acted to protect the victim or uphold the law.
All three have now been suspended for gross negligence and misconduct. However, the suspension alone does not undo the damage caused — valuable hours were lost, and the integrity of the investigation was compromised.
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War is not romantic, Bollywood movie; We should not cheer for it: Ex-Army chief Naravane
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Pune (PTI): Former Indian Army chief General Manoj Naravane has slammed questions being raised on the suspension of hostilities between India and Pakistan, saying war is not romantic and is not a Bollywood movie.
Speaking at an event in Pune, Naravane said if ordered, he would go to war, but diplomacy would be his first choice.
He said there is trauma among people living in the border areas, including children who have seen shelling and have to run to shelters at night.
"For those who have lost their loved ones, that trauma will be carried through generations. There's also something called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). People who have seen gruesome scenes wake up sweating even after 20 years and need psychiatric care," he said.
Naravane was speaking at a programme organised by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India.
"War is not romantic. It is not your Bollywood movie. It is very serious business. War or violence should be the last thing we should resort to, which is why our Prime Minister said this is not an era of war. Although war will be forced upon us by unwise people, we should not cheer for it," he said.
"Still, people are asking why we have not gone for a full-out war. As a military man, if ordered, I will go to war, but that will not be my first choice," the former Indian Army Chief said.
Naravane said his first choice would be diplomacy, settling differences through dialogue and not reaching the stage of armed conflict.
"We are all equal stakeholders in national security. We should try to resolve differences not only between countries, but amongst ourselves, whether in families or between states, regions and communities. Violence is not the answer," he said.
India launched Operation Sindoor on early May 7 to destroy seven terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack.
India and Pakistan on Saturday announced reaching an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea.
