Youth accused of theft, forced to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' dies

Jamshedpur : Tabrez Ansari, a youth who was brutally thrashed on the accusation of theft and was forced to chant Jai Shri Ram, has passed away, said a media report.

The incident came to light after a video of mob thrashing him went viral on the social media. In the viral video, Ansari was seen tied to an electric pole, beaten up and forced by the mob to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Jai Hanuman'.

Ansari, who was under judicial custody for theft, complained of ill health on June 22; He was taken to Sadar hospital first and then to Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur, where he was declared dead on arrival.

While Sadar Hospital Civil Surgeon AN Dey told The Indian Express that Ansari could have died of a "heart attack or blockage", Ansari’s family members have claimed that he died because he was “mercilessly beaten” for hours. The exact cause of death, however, will be ascertained only after post mortem.

A man, identified as Kamal Mahto, told the police that he saw Ansari and two of his friends jumping off his neighbour's house. Ansari failed to make a escape while the other two fled from the scene.

While the complainant states that stolen goods were recovered from Ansari, the FIR and the statement have no mention of the villagers' assault on him.