A coalition of civil rights organisations on Saturday released a fact-finding report on the mob lynching of Mohammed Ashraf at Kudupu in Mangaluru, calling the incident a “betrayal of the promise of the Constitution” and accusing authorities of apathy and bias in their response to the killing.
The report, titled “Lost Fraternity: A Mob Lynching in Broad Daylight”, was compiled by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties – Karnataka, the All India Lawyers Association for Justice – Karnataka, and the Association for Protection of Civil Rights – Karnataka. It was released at the Mangaluru Press Club in the presence of activists, lawyers, and Ashraf’s brother, Jabbar.
Mavalli Shankar, state convenor of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Ambedkarvaada), criticised the state government for failing to conduct impartial investigations into cases involving marginalised communities.
“No elected representative has even visited the family. There is a collapse of the rule of law. The fraternity that once defined our society is fast eroding,” he said, echoing Jabbar’s call to ensure Ashraf’s lynching is the last of its kind.
Ashraf, originally from Kerala’s Kottakkal but residing with his family in Wayanad, was attacked on April 27, near the Batra Kallurthi temple in Kudupu, Mangaluru, while watching a local cricket match. Ashraf had been working as a scrap collector in several places. His family has been staying in Pulpally, Wayanad, on rent for the last three years after their house in Parappur was taken over by a bank over a loan.
According to witnesses, the violence began after Ashraf drank a cup of water that had been kept by a nearby group playing. One of the accused, identified as Sachin T, confronted him. Soon after, a group allegedly led by Ravindra Nayak—husband of BJP corporator Sangeetha Nayak—assaulted Ashraf using a cricket bat and other weapons.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.