A case of alleged mob lynching has come to light from Bihar’s Nawada district. Mohammad Athar Hussain, who was seriously injured in the violence that took place on 5 December in Bhatta village under the Roh police station area, died during treatment on the night of 12 December at Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital.
Before his death, the deceased recorded a statement on camera on 7 December at Nawada Sadar Hospital. In his statement, Athar alleged that 4–5 people surrounded and beat him, took him into a room, made him remove his clothes to check his religious identity, and then brutally attacked him with a hot iron rod, sticks, and bricks.
“The attackers pulled down my pants and checked my private parts, and as soon as they found out that I was a Muslim, they poured petrol on my body. After that, an iron rod was heated and used to burn different parts of my body, due to which my skin peeled off. During this, one boy cut my ear with pliers and also cut my finger. Someone was hitting me with a stick, someone with a rod—and they kept beating me mercilessly again and again.”
— Statement by Mohammad Athar Hussain before his death
According to the police, during the incident someone dialled 112, after which the police reached the spot and took the injured Athar to the hospital. When his condition became critical, he was later referred to Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries six days later.
Mohammad Athar Hussain was a resident of Gagan Diwan village in Nalanda district. For the past 10–12 years, he had been living in his in-laws’ home in Barui village in Nawada district and sold clothes by going around on a bicycle. On the day of the incident as well, he had gone out to sell clothes.
According to his brother Mohammad Shakib, Athar was returning home from his in-laws’ village Barui when his bicycle broke down. While looking for a puncture-repair shop, some people in Bhatta village asked him his name and occupation, after which they attacked him.
This story was originally published in thequint.com. Read the full story here.