Mangaluru/Kottakkal —The brutal lynching of Ashraf, a 36-year-old mentally ill Muslim man from Kerala, by a mob allegedly affiliated with Hindutva groups in Mangaluru has sparked widespread outrage and demands for justice. Locals, activists, and political leaders have condemned the killing, calling it a targeted hate crime disguised with a fabricated narrative of “pro-Pakistan” sloganeering, reported the Maktoob Media.
Ashraf, originally from Kottakkal in Malappuram district, was attacked on April 27 while watching a cricket match near the Batra Kallurthi temple in Kudupu. He had reportedly taken a sip of water kept by players nearby when he was confronted and assaulted. Witnesses say the attack was led by Sachin T. and a group allegedly under Ravindra Nayak—husband of BJP corporator Sangeetha Nayak—using cricket bats and wooden logs. The assailants, reportedly part of a group called “Samrat Guys,” continued the assault until Ashraf collapsed.
Ashraf, who had been living in Pulpally, Wayanad, and working as a scrap collector, succumbed to his injuries later at the hospital. The post-mortem confirmed death due to severe internal bleeding and blunt force trauma to the head, limbs, and other body parts.
His funeral at Cholakkundu mosque graveyard in Kottakkal turned into a somber protest. Family members, rights groups, and political leaders accused Hindutva outfits of inciting communal hatred and targeting minorities. “Ashraf was innocent. He didn’t interfere in anyone’s matters,” said his grieving father, Muchikkadan Kunjeethukutty.
The attackers attempted to justify the lynching by claiming Ashraf had shouted “Pakistan Zindabad”—a claim many local residents and activists have denounced as a deliberate fabrication. Initially echoed by Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara, the claim was later retracted following public outrage. “That was not my statement. I only repeated what the accused told the police,” Parameshwara clarified.
So far, 20 individuals have been arrested. Charges have been registered under Section 103(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, dealing with mob lynching and hate crimes. CCTV footage and mobile data are being analyzed to identify others involved.
Prominent voices from Kerala, including Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, have pledged support for Ashraf’s family and demanded stringent action. Welfare Party of India’s KV Safeer Shah criticized the state’s failure to curb Hindutva violence, calling Mangaluru a testing ground for communal strategies.
Human rights groups and community organizations have formed an Action Council to push for justice and monitor the investigation. “This is not just a killing—it’s part of a larger ideology of hatred,” said convenor Habeeb Jahan.
The incident has reignited debates over the Karnataka government’s response to rising anti-Muslim violence, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam militant attack in Kashmir, which has fueled Islamophobic sentiments across India. Reports of harassment and attacks against Muslim students, vendors, and workers have surged since.
Advocate Abdul Vahid of SIO Kerala linked the attack to a broader trend of targeted communal violence. “The Sangh Parivar is weaponizing nationalism to justify ethnic cleansing,” he said.
Meanwhile, right-wing protests in Mangaluru have erupted over the arrests, with supporters claiming the accused were “provoked”—a claim investigators have not supported.
As outrage grows and investigations continue, Ashraf’s lynching stands as a chilling reminder of the consequences of communal hate and misinformation in today’s India.
