Mob Lynching in Mangaluru

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru City Police have arrested 20 individuals in connection with a mob lynching incident that occurred near Kudupu on the outskirts of the city. The victim, initially unidentified, was later confirmed as Ashraf, a native of Pulpalli village in Sultan Bathery taluk, Wayanad district, Kerala. 

According to Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal, the incident came to light on April 29 around 5:30 p.m., when the Mangaluru Rural Police Station received information about a dead body found near the Bhatra Kallurti Daivasthana (temple) in Kudupu. Police teams, including forensic and crime scene investigators, rushed to the spot and initiated a detailed probe.

Initially registered as a case of unnatural death, the body was shifted to the Wenlock District Hospital for post-mortem. Efforts to ascertain the victim's identity involved circulating his photograph and gathering evidence through CCTV footage, mobile tower data, and witness statements. The post-mortem, conducted on April



28, revealed that Ashraf had died due to internal bleeding and shock resulting from repeated blows to his back, compounded by the absence of timely medical assistance.

Investigations revealed that the assault took place on April 27 around 3 p.m., during a cricket match held near the temple grounds. A group of individuals reportedly attacked the victim using sticks, their hands, and by kicking him. While a few bystanders tried to intervene, the group continued the assault, which eventually proved fatal. Based on a complaint filed by Deepak Kumar (33), the police registered a case at the Mangaluru Rural Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Section 103(2), which pertains to murder committed by five or more persons on grounds such as caste, community, religion, or personal belief — a provision addressing mob lynching. This marks the first instance of Section 103(2) being invoked in Mangaluru since the BNS came into force.