Pappu Ansari, a 46-year-old cattle transporter from Jharkhand’s Godda district, was allegedly lynched by a mob of around 20–25 people late Wednesday night near the state’s border with Bihar after being accused of cattle theft and smuggling, police and family members said.
Ansari, a resident of Ranipur village under Pathargama police station, was returning home from the Shyam Bazaar cattle market in Bihar’s Banka when the incident occurred near the Matiyani football ground in the Sugabathan area.
According to an FIR lodged based on a complaint by his wife, Ayesha Begum, at Poraiyahat police station on January 8, unknown persons stopped his vehicle and began questioning him. “They asked his name and then assaulted him,” the FIR states. It states that the attackers used sharp weapons, including an axe, a farsa and arrows, killing him on the spot before dumping his body in a nearby field.
According to Furqan Ansari, the deceased’s brother-in-law, Pappu was engaged in legal transport work. “He owned a pickup vehicle and worked as a transporter, moving cattle from one market to another. This was his only livelihood, and he had been doing this work legally for several years,” Furqan told The Indian Express. He said Pappu regularly transported cattle between Bihar and Jharkhand and possessed the necessary documents.
“He had gone to the evening cattle market and was returning at night. Around 11 pm, a group of people stopped the vehicle. The driver said there were nearly 25 people,” Furqan told The Indian Express.
Family members alleged that the mob initially stopped the vehicle on the pretext of questioning. “When the mob turned violent, Pappu asked the driver and others to leave with the vehicle to save themselves,” Furqan said, adding that they managed to escape while Pappu was caught and beaten.
Furqan alleged Pappu was assaulted after the attackers “asked his name and realised he was Muslim”. “This has nothing to do with cattle theft. It is about religion,” Furqan alleged.
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Pappu is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son. He was the youngest of four brothers.
An FIR was registered at Puraiyahat police station a day after the incident.
Godda Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar said an FIR has been registered, and an investigation is underway. Asked whether the killing was linked to his faith, the SP said the motive would be clear only after the probe. “The FIR has been lodged, and an investigation is on. All aspects will be verified. It will take around a week to find out the exact reason behind the incident,” he told The Indian Express.
