A coalition of lawyers and activists gathered in Bengaluru on Saturday to unveil a fact-finding report on the alleged mob lynching of Mohammed Ashraf, a Muslim rag-picker from Kerala, in Mangaluru this April.
Ashraf, 39, was reportedly beaten to death on April 27 in Kudupu village. While the official investigation is still underway, groups such as the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Association for Protection of Civil Rights, and All India Lawyers Association for Justice have flagged serious shortcomings, including delays in registering the FIR and omission of key names.
It is alleged that the attack occurred at a playground, after which the accused returned to playing cricket. Advocate Vinay Sreenivasa noted discrepancies, pointing out that although the Home Minister claimed Ashraf shouted “Pakistan Zindabad,” neither police records nor media reports corroborate this. The complaint only mentioned the victim saying “Pakistan, Pakistan.”
The team conducted an independent inquiry in Kudupu, documenting testimonies from witnesses and the victim’s family. Their 164-page report, Lost Fraternity: A Mob Lynching in Broad Daylight — A Betrayal of the Promise of the Constitution, details the timeline and examines the broader social and political climate in Dakshina Kannada.
Speaking at the release, Mavalli Sankar, State Convenor of the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsha Samiti, emphasized systemic failures in ensuring unbiased investigations in cases impacting marginalized groups.
The report, which includes recommendations for better protocols in hate crime cases, will be submitted to the government next week.