10 Indians sentenced to 10 years for lynching Muslim man in 2019

Published July 5, 2023
A woman holds a placard during a protest against the lynching of Tabrez Ansari by a Hindu mob in Kolkata, India, June 26, 2019. — Reuters/File
A woman holds a placard during a protest against the lynching of Tabrez Ansari by a Hindu mob in Kolkata, India, June 26, 2019. — Reuters/File

An Indian court sentenced 10 men to 10 years in jail on Wednesday for the lynching of a Muslim man, who died after being tortured and forced to chant Hindu slogans.

Tabrez Ansari was tied to a pole and tortured for 12 hours in 2019, as he cried and pleaded with a mob that accused him of burglary.

A video of the incident that went viral on social media showed the 24-year-old being forced to chant “Jai Sri Ram” — meaning “hail Lord Ram” — a slogan widely used by Hindu hardliners.

Police had later detained Ansari for theft while he was in critical condition, and took him to hospital days after, where he died while in custody.

Following a public outcry, police arrested 12 Hindu men, two of whom were later acquitted due to lack of evidence.

The remaining 10 were convicted last week of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and each handed 10-year prison sentences on Wednesday.

Ansari’s wife, Shaista Parveen, who had accused police of aiding in the murder of her husband, said she will appeal the sentence to increase it.

“I respect the court order, but I am not fully satisfied with it. We will approach higher courts for justice,” she told AFP.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been criticised for not speaking out against religious violence, has said he was “pained” by Ansari’s murder.

Modi’s Hindu nationalist government has been accused of turning a blind eye to a rising number of vigilante attacks on minority Muslims.

Rights groups say Hindu mobs have been emboldened under Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, which came to power in 2014.

Opinion

Editorial

China security ties
Updated 14 Nov, 2024

China security ties

If China's security concerns aren't addressed satisfactorily, it may affect bilateral ties. CT cooperation should be pursued instead of having foreign forces here.
Steep price
14 Nov, 2024

Steep price

THE Hindu Kush-Himalayan region is in big trouble. A new study unveiled at the ongoing COP29 reveals that if high...
A high-cost plan
14 Nov, 2024

A high-cost plan

THE government has approved an expensive plan for FBR in the hope of tackling its deep-seated inefficiencies. The...
United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.