Shock and outrage has spread across India after a Muslim man was beaten to death by a Hindutva mob in India’s Jharkhand state, the family allege the vicious attack was an Islamophobic hate crime.
The victim, Pappu Ansari, around 40, was reportedly lynched in the Godda district after villagers accused him of cattle theft, an allegation his family strongly denies.
India has witnessed a sharp rise of mob attacks in recent years linked to “cow protection.”
Cows are considered sacred by many Hindus, and Muslims involved in the cattle trade have frequently been targeted by sectarian vigilante groups, despite cattle trading being legal in several parts of the country under regulated conditions.
According to Ansari’s family, the killing was brutal and deliberate.
“They removed his trousers to check his identity, identified him as Muslim, and then killed my brother,” said Mohammad Naseem, the victim’s brother.
“He was attacked with a sharp weapon, beaten with sticks, and struck repeatedly. Everyone who had something in their hand attacked him.”
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“They kept saying, ‘He is Muslim, kill him.’ Is being Muslim a crime in this country?” he asked.
The family said Ansari had gone to the area to deliver cattle and was later called back on the pretext of settling payment.
“My brother went early in the morning with a driver and took the money,” Naseem said. “Later, he was told the cattle would not be handed over and was asked to leave. When he tried to escape, he was attacked from behind and beaten severely.”
The attack took place in Matihani village, under the Podaiyahat police station area, during the intervening night between Wednesday and Thursday.
On Thursday morning, Ansari’s body was found in a field between Matihani and Latta villages. He was a resident of Ranipur village, under the Pathargama police station area.
Police said villagers caught him around 1 am on “suspicion of cattle theft” and assaulted him with sticks.
Senior police officials reached the spot after receiving information, and the body was sent to hospital for a post-mortem examination.
During the investigation, police recovered blood-stained sticks, slippers, a burnt mobile phone, and other items from the scene.
Police officials said Ansari was beaten to death and that efforts were underway to identify those involved.
Authorities also claimed that Ansari had previous criminal cases related to cattle and copper theft, claims his family disputes.
The family rejected the police account and said the killing was driven by religious hatred rather than theft.
“No elected representative and no senior official came to see us,” Naseem said. “My brother was murdered in a very cruel way. He has five children, four daughters and a young son. What will happen to their future?”
The family has demanded strict punishment for those responsible.
“We are citizens of this country. We want justice,” Naseem said. “The administration must give the harshest punishment to the culprits.”
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that mob lynchings linked to cow protection have created fear among Muslims in India, particularly in rural areas, where vigilante violence often goes unpunished and accountability remains rare.
