NEW DELHI: In a disturbing incident that has sparked public outrage, 27-year-old Abdul Kalam was lynched by a mob in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district on Thursday. Kalam was tied up and brutally beaten by locals in Narayanpur, under Nawadih block. The police intervened but he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
According to police reports, Kalam was attacked around 11 a.m. by a mob that accused him of harassing a girl. A viral video of the incident shows Abdul Kalam with his hands bound, surrounded by a violent crowd. Despite his visible injuries and repeated pleas for water, he was denied help and threatened with death. He never confessed to the alleged crime in the video, raising serious concerns over the legitimacy of the accusations.
Narayanpur Police Station’s Sub-Inspector Nitish Kumar confirmed that two individuals — Baharam Manjhi and Rupam Manjhi — have been arrested, and efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other culprits. An FIR has been registered.
Iqbal, a local resident, stated that the post-mortem was conducted on Friday and the burial was pending at the time of reporting. He emphasized that even if Abdul Kalam had committed a crime, justice should have been sought through lawful means, not mob violence.
Kalam, who worked as a shuttering labourer, was the sole breadwinner for his elderly mother after the death of his father. His two brothers are working in Ajmer and Pune.
Human rights activist Afzal Anees condemned the incident and questioned the state government’s inaction on mob lynching laws. “You sent the ‘Mob Violence Prevention Bill’ to the Governor twice. Why not a third time? Is mob justice the new norm?” he asked, adding, “This is not just about one person—it is an assault on the soul of our society. Enough is enough.”
The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for strict anti-lynching legislation in Jharkhand and across India.
