Sitamarhi mob lynching: Man seen holding Ansari’s hand among 13 held, search on for 6 others

Sitamarhi Police said 13 people, including one Chhotu Raut, have been arrested so far. Police are looking for six more people identified through video footage and still photographs, they said.

Sitamarhi Town Police station in-charge Shashi Bhushan Singh said, “Chhotu Raut is the one who is seen holding Zainul Ansari’s hand near the spot at Gaushala Chowk where the charred body was found. We have also identified six other youths who could be arrested soon.”

He said most of the arrested youths are in their 20s and unemployed. “They are locals. Masterminds could be different people who were not seen at the spot,” the officer said. None of the arrested youths have a criminal record.

Ansari’s son Ashraf said, “We approached police to make correction in the postmortem report that wrongly mentions my father’s age as 35… We are relieved that some people have been arrested now. The police must also look for kingpins of the incident.”

Singh said, “We have sent Ansari’s DNA sample for confirmation… We will make correction in the postmortem report. The doctors had intended to write his age as 85 but incorrectly wrote 35.”