Lynching in Jharkhand village raises questions of police complicity, communal polarisation

By A Representative 

A fact-finding team has alleged that the lynching of a 32-year-old man in Jharkhand’s Chatra district was communal in nature and has exposed the failure of the Hemant Soren government to curb hate violence. The team, comprising representatives of the Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha, Karwan e Mohabbat, Sajha Kadam, and the United Milli Forum, visited Bargaon village in the Tandwa police station area on August 12 to investigate the mob killing of Md Imroj Ansari on August 4.

Imroj Ansari was lynched by a mob that accused him of kidnapping and raping an underage girl from a Dalit community in the village. While the fact-finding team acknowledged that the allegations against Ansari warrant a thorough investigation, it found clear indications that the lynching was communal in nature and is being exploited by the BJP to deepen religious polarisation. The team noted that BJP leaders, including BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha President and former MLA Kisun Das, and Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi, addressed public meetings in the village after the incident. According to the team, Das was heard making inflammatory remarks, including a warning that if "commotion" is created, "one has gone, and many more will have to go," as the crowd chanted "Jai Shri Ram". Marandi, accompanied by the Chatra MP and local MLA, also addressed a meeting and was heard inciting the Hindu masses rather than attempting to bridge the communal divide. The team also reported that Hindu vegetable vendors and shopkeepers have since stopped selling to Muslims in the village.

The fact-finding team also raised serious questions about police conduct. According to their report, the mob, led by local BJP leader Vijay Choubey, stormed Ansari's house on the morning of August 4. They tied his father, Md Sultan, to a pole and beat him. Though police arrived within half an hour, the team alleges they remained mute spectators and allowed the lynching to take place in front of them. This corroborates earlier media reports that the attack occurred in the presence of police personnel. Following the incident, Chatra district SP Animesh Nathany suspended four police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, for dereliction of duty.

The fact-finding team further noted that the girl's house is directly opposite Ansari's house, and her grandparents had been staying in an outer room of Ansari's house for three days after their own kutcha house collapsed. The team stated that given the open nature of the under-construction house and the close-knit layout of the lane, it was improbable that a girl could have been kidnapped and held there unnoticed. However, they also noted that Ansari had a previous case registered against him for attempting to rape an underage girl, and villagers complained about his behaviour.

The fact-finding team has demanded the removal of the Tandwa Station House Officer (SHO) from the investigation, strict action against BJP leaders for their hate speeches, and the implementation of Supreme Court guidelines on lynching and hate speech. They have also called on the state government to ensure police accountability and promote communal harmony.

Police have confirmed that two FIRs have been registered in the case—one by the deceased's father under provisions related to mob lynching and another based on the minor girl's complaint under the POCSO Act. Authorities have arrested 11 people so far, and raids are underway to identify other suspects. The police have also stated that the allegations of rape are being thoroughly investigated.