4 years after Jharkhand man killed, 10 accused convicted; sentencing July 5

Ansari was assaulted in Dhatkidih village of Saraikela Kharsawan in the early hours of June 18, 2019. On June 22 morning, Ansari, who was in judicial custody for theft, complained of nausea, vomiting and chest pain. As he fell unconscious, Ansari was rushed to Sadar Hospital, and then to Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur, where he was declared dead on arrival.

He worked as a labourer and welder in Pune and had come home to celebrate Eid.

Additional Public Prosecutor Ashok Ray told The Indian Express, “After the trial, Judge Amit Shekhar pronounced 10 persons guilty under IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). The judge said ingredients to convict the accused under IPC 302 (murder) were not found.”

Altaf Hussain, lawyer for Ansari’s wife, told The Indian Express that they are “talking to the family members and will decide whether to go for an appeal”.

The quantum of punishment will be announced on July 5, the public prosecutor said. One of the accused, Kushal Mahali, had died during the course of trial, and two others were acquitted for lack of evidence, he said.

The convicted persons — Bhim Singh Munda, Kamal Mahato, Madan Nayak, Atul Mahali, Sunamo Pradhan, Vikram Mandal, Chamu Nayak, Prem Chand Mahali, Mahesh Mahali — were taken into custody soon after they were convicted by the court, PTI reported. Prime accused Prakash Mandal, alias Pappu Mandal, is already in judicial custody.

A video of the incident that had emerged on social media showed a mob beating Ansari and asking him to chant religious slogans. The young man was seen chanting, and pleading with the mob to stop the assault.

Police had reached the spot around 6 am and Ansari’s statement was recorded at 9.30 am, when he allegedly “admitted” committing the theft with two other men. He was subsequently arrested and booked under IPC Sections 457 (house-trespass or housebreak by night), 380 (theft), and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), among others.

He was in judicial custody when he died four days later, and a case was thereafter registered against the accused under IPC Sections 302 (murder) and 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religions or religious beliefs), among others.

The police had arrested 11 residents of Ghatkidih village for Ansari’s death and had suspended two police personnel. Months later, police faced a backlash after the charge sheet in the case was filed under IPC 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). Citing the “final postmortem report” — that Ansari died of “cardiac arrest” — the charge sheet stated that it was “not a case of premeditated murder”.

Citing a fresh medical report, police later invoked the murder charge against all the accused in a supplementary chargesheet.