Key Points
A Muslim cattle transporter was lynched by a mob in Godda district on Wednesday night, statedly over suspicions of cattle theft.
The victim’s family claims he was targeted because of his religion, with the assault taking place after the atteckers confirmed his name.
An FIR has been registered, with the investigation ongoing and the perpetrators yet to be identified.
A 45-year-old Muslim man was lynched by a mob in Jharkhand’s Godda district on 7 January 2026, with family members alleging religious targeting. The victim, Pappu Ansari, a resident of Ranipur village, was attacked in Matihani village near the Jharkhand–Bihar border. According to police officials, Ansari was beaten to death by unidentified persons over suspicion of stealing cattle.
Confirming the incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police JPN Chaudhary said an investigation was underway to determine how the incident took place and who was involved. He said more details, including the motive, would be shared only after the probe progressed. The officer also stated that Ansari had a criminal record.
A more detailed account has emerged from an FIR filed on 8 January 2026 at Poraiyahat police station, Jkarkhand, based on a complaint by Ansari’s wife, Ayesha Begum. The FIR alleges that unknown persons stopped Ansari’s vehicle late on Wednesday night (7 January) near the Matiyani football ground in Sugabathan, questioned him, and then assaulted him. The attackers allegedly used sharp weapons, including an axe, a farsa and arrows, killing him on the spot before dumping his body in a nearby field. Family members said the mob comprised around 20 to 25 people.
Ansari’s relatives have contested the claim that the incident was linked to cattle theft. His brother-in-law, Furqan Ansari, told The Indian Express that Pappu Ansari was engaged in legal cattle transport and had been doing so for several years. He said Ansari owned a pickup vehicle and regularly transported cattle between markets in Bihar and Jharkhand, possessing the necessary documents.
The day of the incident, Ansari had reportedly gone to the Shyam Bazaar cattle market in Bihar’s Banka district and was returning home at night. Around 11 pm, a group of people allegedly stopped the vehicle on the pretext of questioning those inside. Furqan said that the situation turned violent after the attackers asked Ansari his name and realised that he was Muslim. Pappu Ansari asked the driver and others to flee with the vehicle to save themselves. While they managed to escape, Ansari was caught and beaten by the mob.
“This has nothing to do with cattle theft. It is about religion,” Furqan said to The Indian Express. Ansari is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son.
Godda Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar confirmed that an FIR had been registered and said the police were examining all aspects of the case. “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 said.
Police officials have said efforts are on to identify those involved in the attack and to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the killing.
[DS]
Suggested Reading:
