Mangaluru mob lynching: 3 cops suspended over investigation ‘delays’

A body was discovered near the Bhatra Kallurti temple in Kudupu village, where a mob allegedly beat to death a man, later identified as Ashraf, a resident of Wayanad district in Kerala, around 3 pm on April 27 during a local cricket tournament.

According to a senior police officer, a preliminary investigation revealed that Ashraf, carrying a gunny bag, crossed the cricket field and allegedly shouted “Pakistan Zindabad”. In response, a group of people attacked him. He was beaten with wooden sticks, kicked, and subjected to repeated assaults. Although some others attempted to stop the violence, the attack continued until Ashraf succumbed to his injuries.

Home Minister G Parameshwara, however, said on Wednesday that the claim about the pro-Pakistan slogan was unverified.

The Mangaluru Rural police initially detained 25 people for questioning. Fifteen of them were arrested, and after further investigation, the number of arrests rose to 20.

The suspension of the police personnel comes amid mounting criticism of the police’s handling of the case. Several organisations and local Congress leaders have demanded a comprehensive inquiry, accusing the police of negligence.

Senior Congress leader B Ramanatha Rai on Thursday urged the government to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to tackle the growing number of mob lynching cases in the coastal belt, especially in Dakshina Kannada district and Mangaluru city.

He warned that unchecked incidents like this could trigger wider communal unrest. “Every time a lynching happens, the district is gripped by communal tension. There is growing mistrust over investigations across communities. A dedicated SIT is essential to ensure swift and fair probes into such sensitive incidents,” Rai said.