Like Pehlu Khan, No One Lynched Tabrez Ansari

Ranchi: The entire episode of the mob lynching of Tabrez Ansari, a 24-year-old resident of Saraikela-Kharsawan is documented in the video which was shared by one of those present at the scene of crime. The brutality with which Ansari was mercilessly beaten for allegedly stealing a bike and later forced to chant Jai Sri Ram by Hindu extremist is still fresh in everyone’s mind. Even the Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) report had claimed that both the police and the doctor were careless and had not treated the victim in the right manner.

This lynching case had deeply impacted the Indians, thereby leading to a widespread protest across the country. The matter was even raised at the United Nations’ Security Council (UNSC) and its Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), following which India was even asked to file a detailed report before UNSC.

However, like most of the lynching cases in India, where justice has been denied to the victim, here too, the Jharkhand police’s charge sheet now claims that Ansari had not succumbed to his injuries, but had died from a cardiac arrest.

The incident

On the night of June 19, Ansari and his two friends were returning home on a bike, when they were stopped at Dhadkidih, alleging that they had stolen a bike. Two of his accompanies escaped but Ansari got caught by the mob. He was tied to an electric pole and was not only beaten mercilessly but was even forced to chant Jai Shri Ram. Later, the police came and took Ansari to the police station. But family alleged that while Ansari had sustained severe injuries, police had only provided him with basic first aid and sent him to jail, without consulting any doctor.

“I have lost everything, my life has got ruined. Because of stress, I lost my child and now I live in tension. Please help me in getting justice,” said Shahista. This is how she starts her conversation with every new person and while talking to this reporter, she mentioned it thrice.

Shahista demanded, “I want CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) inquiry into the murder of my husband. As police is not doing its duty. Police has changed everything in this case.”

The widow added, “I want the murderers of my husband to be hanged. They should be punished severely.”

After two days, when again Ansari complained of severe pain including headache, he was sent to Sadar Hospital from Jail, but the doctor there did not treat him well and declared him dead while he was alive. When he was taken to another doctor, it was very late and Ansari succumbed to his injuries.

Ansari used to work in Pune and had returned two months before his death, for his marriage, which was solemnised on April 26, 2019.

Wife demands CBI inquiry

Shahista Perween, wife of Tabrez, who was trying to get on with her life, discovered that she was pregnant. But her stress and weak health caused miscarriage and she lost her first child. The dual loss had shattered the life of a newly married woman. Rubbing salt to her injuring is the news of the police removing murder charges from the charge sheet.

“I have lost everything, my life has got ruined. Because of stress, I lost my child and now I live in tension. Please help me in getting justice,” said Shahista. This is how she starts her conversation with every new person and while talking to this reporter, she mentioned it thrice.

While speaking to eNewsroom, Shahista demanded, “I want CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) inquiry into the murder of my husband. As police is not doing its duty. Police has changed everything in this case.”

The widow added, “I want the murderers of my husband to be hanged. They should be punished severely.”

Lawyer to challenge charge sheet

Her lawyer Altaf told eNewsroom, that court has not yet taken cognizance on the charge sheet filed by the police. “We have prayed to the court that as there are several witnesses (32) in the case which makes it a fit case of Section 302 of IPC, so police dropping 302 and making it a case of Section 304 of IPC should not be accepted by the court.”

He further said, “If the court accepts our petition then it’s fine, else we will move to High Court to challenge the charge sheet.”

The Investigation Office (IO) of the case, R Narayan said he dropped the murder charge as post-mortem report mentioned that Ansari died from cardiac arrest.

Significantly, Saraikela-Kharsawan has no fast track court and the case is yet to be taken up by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court.

“As soon as court will take cognizance of the case, we will pray to hear it on day to day basis,” said the lawyer.

Lynchings in Jharkhand

So far almost two dozen lives have been lost because of mob lynching incidents in Jharkhand sometime over cattle trading, sometimes over beef-eating allegations, sometimes over child-lifting charges. Most of the victims either remain, Muslim, Dalit or Tribals. And in most cases, police remains casual towards the heinous crime while filing the charge sheet.

With wife of Tabrez wanting a CBI inquiry, will Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das pay heed to her agony and listen to the plight of the 20-year-old widow?