Unnao, Uttar Pradesh – A 48-year-old Muslim man, Sharif, was allegedly beaten to death by a Hindu mob after he objected to being smeared with colours while on his way to the mosque during Holi, reported the Maktoob Media.
Sharif, a resident near Qasim Nagar Rabbanna Mosque, had returned from Saudi Arabia two months ago, where he worked as a driver. On Saturday, while heading to the mosque from his ancestral home in Mohalla Kanji, he encountered a group celebrating Holi near Mohalla Kashif Ali Sarai Chungi Power House. When they threw colours on him, he objected, but the group repeated the act, leading to a heated argument that escalated into a violent assault, Jagran reported.
Bystanders later helped Sharif sit on a platform and offered him water. Moments later, he collapsed and died.
The incident sparked tensions in the area, prompting a heavy police deployment, including Rapid Response Teams from multiple stations. Angry residents took to the streets, demanding immediate arrests. Despite discussions with CO City Sonam Singh and Shahar Qazi, tensions remained high.
Singh confirmed that a case would be registered and efforts were underway to identify the attackers. Meanwhile, Unnao Police, in a social media statement, said:
“Kotwali Sadar police took the body into custody and conducted a postmortem with videography by a panel of doctors. The postmortem report cites cardiac arrest as the cause of death, with no injury marks found on the body. The police are thoroughly investigating all aspects.”
