New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday tore into the BJP in wake of alleged mob lynching of 22-year-old Tabrez Ansari in Jharkhand and dubbed the incident as a "blot on humanity".
"The brutal lynching of this young man by a mob in Jharkhand is a blot on humanity. The cruelty of the police who held this dying boy in custody for 4 days is shocking as is the silence of powerful voices in the BJP ruled Central & State Govts. #IndiaAgainstLynchTerror" he tweeted.
Ansari was attacked by a mob in Kharsawan district of Jharkhand on the suspicion of theft on June 18. He was beaten up mercilessly for hours before being handed over to the police. He succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital on June 22.
He was first admitted to Sadar hospital on Monday morning and then referred to Tata Main Hospital, Jamshedpur.
Tabrez's family has alleged that the attack was communal and that he was made to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Jai Hanuman'.
"Some locals thrashed Tabrez and later gave him over to the police. He was held on suspicion of theft but it was a communal attack. He was beaten because he had a Muslim name. They made him chant 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Jai Hanuman' again and again," Tabrez's relative Maqsood Alam told ANI.
He further claimed that the family was not allowed to meet him at the hospital.
"We have the video of the incident. I demand the culprits should be arrested," Alam added.
"We want action against the police personnel who were on duty at that time," another relative said.
An FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway, police said.
