MANGALURU: At least 15 people have been arrested after a man was beaten to death by a group of over 25 individuals for shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ during a local cricket match in Kudupu village, on the outskirts of Mangaluru city, police said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at around 3pm on April 27 near the Bhatra Kallurti temple, according to officers.
The victim, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, was allegedly assaulted with sticks, suffering multiple injuries that resulted in internal bleeding. He was declared dead at the hospital, police added.
“An incident of mob lynching has been reported. The individual whose identity is unknown shouted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ when a local cricket match was going on. Few people got together and beat him. Later on, he died. 10-12 people have been arrested. Further investigation is underway. I also appeal to the public to maintain peace and harmony, ” Karnataka Home minister G Parameshwara said.
Mangaluru City police commissioner Anupam Agarwal said, “Initially, the police registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation after the body was found near the temple grounds. A post-mortem conducted on April 28 confirmed that the death was due to multiple blunt force injuries and lack of medical attention.”
A complaint filed by a resident at the Mangaluru Rural Police Station has led to the registration of a case under Section 103(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, addressing murders committed by groups of five or more individuals.
The authorities have apprehended 15 suspects, while actively pursuing approximately 10 additional persons of interest in connection with the case.
“The main accused, identified as Sachin, a resident of Kudupu, is already in our custody. The section invoked in this case is very stringent-if proved, the accused, either individually or as a group, can face life imprisonment or even the death penalty. We invoked this section under the BNS as more than five people were involved in the crime,” Agarwal said.
Efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the remaining suspects. Police have stated that CCTV footage and mobile data are being analyzed to reconstruct the sequence of events.
Taking to ‘X’, Dakshina Kannada District In-charge minister Dinesh Gundu Rao condemned the murder and directed the police to take strict action against the culprits.
“While playing cricket, a verbal altercation broke out between a group of players and a young man from another community, resulting in the assault,” he said.
He stated that several suspects have already been arrested, and a thorough investigation is currently underway.
Stating that such incidents disrupt communal harmony, Rao added, “I have instructed the police to take strict action against the culprits. I appeal to the public to maintain peace and communal harmony and not fall prey to rumours.”
