The body of Ashraf, a 36-year-old mentally unwell Malayali Muslim man brutally lynched by a Hindutva mob in Mangaluru, Karnataka, was laid to rest Wednesday at the Cholakkundu mosque graveyard in his hometown of Kottakkal, Malappuram.
The burial was marked by grief and anger, with mourners—family, friends, and local residents—demanding justice for what many have described as a hate-fueled killing.
Ashraf, originally from Kottakkal but residing with his family in Pulpally, Wayanad, was attacked on Sunday, April 27, near the Batra Kallurthi temple in Kudupu, Mangaluru, while watching a local cricket match.
Ashraf had been working as a scrap collector in several places. His family has been staying in Pulpally, Wayanad, on rent for the last three years after their house in Parappur was taken over by a bank over a loan.
According to witnesses, the violence began after Ashraf drank a cup of water that had been kept by a nearby group playing. One of the accused, identified as Sachin T., confronted him. Soon after, a group allegedly led by Ravindra Nayak—husband of BJP corporator Sangeetha Nayak—assaulted Ashraf using a cricket bat and other weapons.
Despite efforts by bystanders to intervene, the mob, allegedly affiliated with a Hindutva club called “Samrat Guys,” continued the assault until Ashraf collapsed.
The attackers then fled the scene, believing him dead. He was later found dead near the temple and rushed to a hospital where he was officially declared as dead.
The post-mortem report from Wenlock District Hospital revealed Ashraf died from internal bleeding and shock due to deep injuries to his head, limbs, back, buttocks, and genitals, caused by wooden logs and blunt force trauma.
“He never interfered in anyone’s affairs. He kept to himself and focused on his own work. Even in business, he maintained minimal interactions. No one has anything bad to say about him,” Ashraf’s father, Muchikkadan Kunjeethukutty, told Maktoob.
“We just buried Ashraf’s body. As we know, Mangaluru is a place where the Sangh Parivar often tests its strategies. Incidents like this have happened there before. We must see this as a continuation of that pattern. Instead of downplaying or normalizing this as an emotional outburst or a case of mob lynching, the government must take strict and exemplary action against the Sangh Parivar and its outfits like the Bajrang Dal and RSS, who are behind this,” Welfare Party of India Malappuram district president KV Safeer Shah told Maktoob.
Following his death, the perpetrators circulated a claim that Ashraf had shouted “Pakistan Zindabad” during the match, in an apparent attempt to ‘justify the lynching.’
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara initially echoed the claim, telling PTI: “An incident of mob lynching has been reported. There are claims he was shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad,’ which led to the attack. Around 10 to 12 people have been arrested, and further investigation is underway.”
His comments drew sharp criticism for failing to immediately debunk what many believe to be a false and inflammatory narrative.
Meanwhile, following criticisms, the Home Minister retracts the ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ claim. He said: “That was not my statement; I only repeated what the accused told the police. I have corrected my statement from yesterday. I will provide detailed information after further investigation.”
Congress Minority Cell Chairman Shahul Hameed questioned the minister’s sources, while Kerala leaders condemned the statement as legitimizing communal violence.
According to Mangaluru City Police, the assault was initiated by Sachin T., a 26-year-old resident of Thiruvail village, and escalated when 25 to 30 individuals—allegedly affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bajrang Dal—joined in the beating with sticks and fists.
CCTV footage and mobile data are being analyzed to identify further suspects.
So far, 20 individuals have been arrested, including Sachin T. (26), Devadas (50), Manjunath (32), Saideep (29), Nitesh Kumar alias Santosh (33), Dheekshith Kumar (32), Sandeep (23), Vivian Alvares (41), Sridatta (32), Rahul (23), Pradeep Kumar (35), Manish Shetty (21), Dhanush (31), Dheekshith (27), and Kishore Kumar (37). The case has been registered under Section 103(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, pertaining to hate crimes and mob lynching.
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal assured a comprehensive investigation but stopped short of commenting on the communal angle.
The lynching, however, has intensified scrutiny on the Karnataka Congress government, with critics accusing it of failing to prevent growing anti-Muslim violence in the coastal state.
The attack on Ashraf came amid a nationwide surge in anti-Muslim sentiment, following the April 22 militant attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. In the aftermath, multiple reports have surfaced of Kashmiri students being assaulted on campuses, Muslim vendors being forced out of cities, and Muslim workers being threatened or attacked.
In Mangaluru, Ashraf’s lynching has become a flashpoint.
Many rejected the “Pakistan Zindabad” claim, calling it a fabrication by Hindutva groups to rationalize communal violence.
CPI(M) Dakshina Kannada District Secretary Muneer Kattipalla directly blamed the Sangh Parivar for engineering a false narrative.
“The assertion that Ashraf chanted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ is a malicious fabrication by the Sangh Parivar,” Kattipalla told reporters. “This lie is a deliberate attempt to legitimize mob violence, and the Karnataka Home Minister’s failure to refute it is deeply concerning.”
Kerala Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan vowed to secure justice for Ashraf’s family, saying, “The Mangaluru mob lynching is a grave injustice, and we will ensure justice for Ashraf’s family. No one should face such brutality.”
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala also condemned the lynching, calling it unacceptable. “Mob lynching and communal violence have no place in a civilized society,” he said after speaking with Home Minister Parameshwara. “I have been assured of a thorough and prompt investigation into this heinous act, and we will ensure accountability.”
P Mujeeburahamn, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Kerala chief demanded strict action against the Hindutva men involved in the lynching.
“Dear DGP Karanataka, Dr. G. Parameshwara, this is not just a blot on humanity, it is a blot on our state. Why has Karnataka not implemented the guidelines on mob lynching, issued by SC in the Tehseen poonawala case?” asks Bengaluru based lawyer, Vinay K. Sreenivasa.
Former Solidarity Movement Kerala State President Suhaib C.T. also condemned the killing, calling attention to the trivial pretext of drinking water as a trigger. “In Mangaluru, a Muslim Malayali was beaten to death by the extremist Hindutva group Samrat Guys, simply for drinking their water,” he wrote on Facebook. “The claim that Ashraf was attacked for shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ is a dangerous pretext that grants a license to kill. The media, by fanning the flames of fanatic nationalism, shares responsibility for this tragedy.”
Adv. Abdul Vahid, Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO) Kerala State President, contextualized the incident within a broader trend of targeted violence against Muslims and Kashmiris. “Since the Pahalgam attack, communal violence has surged across India, with Kashmiri students, shopkeepers, and workers facing relentless assaults,” he wrote. “The Sangh Parivar wields aggressive nationalism as a weapon to ethnically cleanse minorities.”
At the burial in Kottakkal, Ashraf’s brothers Jabbar, Hameed and other relatives stood alongside dozens of mourners. The funeral procession became an emotional outpouring of grief and solidarity, with the community uniting to denounce the brutality.
The lynching has reignited debates over the role of Hindutva organizations in inflaming communal tensions. Mangaluru, part of Karnataka’s communally sensitive coastal belt, has witnessed several similar incidents in recent years—often linked to the activities of RSS and Bajrang Dal cadres.
The Pahalgam attack, in which tourists were targeted, has been seized upon by right-wing groups to fan anti-Muslim sentiment nationwide. Social media platforms have amplified these narratives, with calls for violence against Muslims and Kashmiris circulating widely.
“We have formed an Action Council to uncover the truth behind the mob lynching and murder of Ashraf and to ensure justice is served. We are determined to expose the conspiracy, identify those involved, and reveal the ideology behind this heinous act. The council will provide full legal support to Ashraf’s family. Political pressure, legal action, and public protests will be organized under the leadership of the Action Council. We are closely monitoring the actions of the Karnataka government,” Habeeb Jahan, convenor of the Action Council, told Maktoob following Ashraf’s burial.
Meanwhile, the arrests of RSS and Bajrang Dal activists in the case have triggered protests by right-wing supporters in Mangaluru, who allege the accused were “provoked” by Ashraf—an accusation that investigators have largely dismissed.
