Cattle Transporter Beaten to Death by Mob, Family Alleges Communal Targeting
A 46-year-old man engaged in legal cattle transportation was brutally lynched by a mob late on Wednesday night near the border shared by Jharkhand and Bihar. The victim, identified as Pappu Ansari, a resident of Ranipur village in Godda district, Jharkhand, was attacked by a group of 20-25 individuals. While the police are investigating allegations of cattle theft, the victim's family has claimed he was targeted because of his Muslim identity.
Sequence of a Fatal Night
The tragic incident occurred on the night of January 7. Ansari was returning home to Jharkhand from the Shyam Bazaar cattle market located in Banka district, Bihar. His journey was cut short near the Matiyani football ground in the Sugabathan area.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged at the Poraiyahat police station based on his wife Ayesha Begum's complaint, unknown persons stopped his pickup vehicle. "They asked his name and then assaulted him," the FIR states. The attackers were armed with sharp weapons, including an axe, a farsa, and arrows. Ansari succumbed to his injuries on the spot, after which his body was dumped in a nearby field.
Furqan Ansari, the deceased's brother-in-law, provided a detailed account. He stated that when the mob turned violent, Pappu Ansari urged the driver and others in the vehicle to flee to save themselves. They managed to escape, but Ansari was caught and beaten by the assailants.
Family Rejects Cattle Theft Allegation, Points to Faith
The family has strongly refuted any illegal activity by Pappu Ansari. Furqan Ansari emphasized that transporting cattle was his brother-in-law's sole legal livelihood for many years. "He owned a pickup vehicle and worked as a transporter, moving cattle from one market to another... He regularly transported cattle between Bihar and Jharkhand and possessed all the necessary documents," Furqan told the media.
He directly alleged a communal motive behind the killing. "This has nothing to do with cattle theft. It is about religion," Furqan claimed, asserting that the mob became violent only after asking his name and realizing he was Muslim.
Police Investigation Underway, Motive Unclear
An FIR was registered at the Puraiyahat police station a day after the incident, on January 8. Godda Superintendent of Police, Mukesh Kumar, confirmed that an investigation is in progress. When questioned about the possible religious angle to the crime, the SP stated that the exact motive would be ascertained only after the probe is completed.
"The FIR has been lodged, and an investigation is on. All aspects will be verified. It will take around a week to find out the exact reason behind the incident," SP Kumar said. The police are currently working to identify and apprehend the members of the mob involved in the lynching.
Pappu Ansari is survived by his wife, four daughters, and a son. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community and highlights the persistent issue of mob violence in the region.
