The killing of Tabrez Ansari from Jharkhand is not the first hate crime that has occurred in 2019. Data from the website Factchecker.in reveals that this is the 11th case of hate crime this year. So far, 22 people have been injured and four have been killed in mob violence.
11th Hate Crime In 2019
Ansari was attacked by a mob when he was on his way home to Saraikela-Kharsawan’s Karsova from Jamshedpur with his friends on June 18.
He was tied to a pole, beaten for hours and forced to chant “Jai Shri Ram” and “Jai Hanuman”. He died on June 22.
“He was mercilessly beaten as he was Muslim. I don’t have anybody, no in-laws. My husband was my only support. I want justice,” NDTV quoted Shahista Parveen, Ansari’s wife, as saying.
Ansari’s family has asked for action against all involved, including the doctors and police. Allegedly, the police ignored their appeals and did not arrange for proper treatment, and he died long before he was taken to a hospital.
According to a government statement, two officers, Chandramohan Oraon and Bipin Bihari, have been suspended for “not reporting the seriousness of the issue to the higher authorities” and “register a case of lynching on the very same day”.
297 hate crimes have taken place all over India, since 2009. 98 people have died and 722 people were injured.
Data shows a rise in incidents of mob violence over the last few years. Compared to just six incidents from 2012 to 2014, 121 incidents of mob violence over cattle theft or slaughter have taken place since 2015.
According to the overall data from 2009 to 2019, the victims were Muslims in 59% cases. 28% of the incidents were related to alleged cattle theft or slaughter.
Data also indicates that while 16% of cases took place in the Congress-ruled states, 66% of cases occurred in the BJP-ruled states.
