Jharkhand: Man dies as mob attacks two over battery theft

A video of the incident purportedly shows a group hitting Mubarak with slippers and asking him to confess to earlier thefts he had allegedly committed. He is not able to speak and one side of his jaw appears to be broken.

SP Bokaro P Murugan, said, “They were caught by a few people when they were returning with the stolen battery and beaten up. After police was informed, the two were rushed to a hospital where Mubarak Ansari was declared brought dead. As of now, it does not look like they were targeted because of their religion.”

A case has been registered at Bokaro Thermal Police Station against five people under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 307(attempt to murder), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy). The FIR names Premchand Mahato, Hemlal Mahato, Nandan Mahato, Kundan Mahato and Premchand’s wife, and seven unidentified people. Police said the named accused have been arrested and they are conducting raids to nab the others.

The SP said Mubarak had been jailed for a theft in the past.

The FIR has been registered on the basis of a statement by Akhtar. He has said in his statement, “Mubarak Ansari and I reached Govindpur at midnight where we stole a battery from a vehicle. We left for our homes and Mubarak carried the battery on his shoulder. A few people, Premchand Mahato and others, caught us, tied us up and started beating us with rods. More people were called in and they too started beating us with rods, bamboo and tangi (axe). Around 4.30 in the morning, a person from our village found us and called other people. We were then taken to the hospital where I was treated and doctors declared Ansari brought dead.”

Ainul, a neighbour of Mubarak and Akhtar, told The Indian Express over phone, “When I reached, I saw them on the ground with their hands and legs tied. Mubarak was not able to speak and was rushed to the hospital. There were injury marks on his body…we later heard he died.”