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A case of alleged mob lynching has come to light from Bihar’s Nawada district. Mohammad Athar Hussain, who was seriously injured in the violence that took place on 5 December in Bhatta village under the Roh police station area, died during treatment on the night of 12 December at Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital.
Before his death, the deceased recorded a statement on camera on 7 December at Nawada Sadar Hospital. In his statement, Athar alleged that 4–5 people surrounded and beat him, took him into a room, made him remove his clothes to check his religious identity, and then brutally attacked him with a hot iron rod, sticks, and bricks.
“The attackers pulled down my pants and checked my private parts, and as soon as they found out that I was a Muslim, they poured petrol on my body. After that, an iron rod was heated and used to burn different parts of my body, due to which my skin peeled off. During this, one boy cut my ear with pliers and also cut my finger. Someone was hitting me with a stick, someone with a rod—and they kept beating me mercilessly again and again.”— Statement by Mohammad Athar Hussain before his death
According to the police, during the incident someone dialled 112, after which the police reached the spot and took the injured Athar to the hospital. When his condition became critical, he was later referred to Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries six days later.
Mohammad Athar Hussain was a resident of Gagan Diwan village in Nalanda district. For the past 10–12 years, he had been living in his in-laws’ home in Barui village in Nawada district and sold clothes by going around on a bicycle. On the day of the incident as well, he had gone out to sell clothes.
According to his brother Mohammad Shakib, Athar was returning home from his in-laws’ village Barui when his bicycle broke down. While looking for a puncture-repair shop, some people in Bhatta village asked him his name and occupation, after which they attacked him.
In this case, the deceased’s wife, Shabnam Parveen, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at the police station on 6 December. The FIR names 10 people, while a case has also been registered against 15 unidentified accused. All the named accused are residents of Bhatta village.
In the complaint given by the deceased’s wife, it is written: “People of Bhatta village caught my husband on false allegations of theft, tied him up, beat him mercilessly, branded him with a hot rod, broke his hand, cut his ear with pliers, and tortured him in other ways as well.”
She also alleged that when she reached Bhattapar with her brothers-in-law, “the villagers abused them as well and threatened them.”
A case has been registered against the accused under Sections 190, 191(2), 191(3), 126(2), 115(2), 118(1), 118(2), 117(2), 117(4), 109, 74, 303(2), 352, and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
'Beat Him Because He's Muslim'
The deceased’s wife, Shabnam, told The Quint that before the assault, some people surrounded Athar on the way while he was returning home, asked his name, and attacked him. After that, they snatched his money, bicycle, and clothes, and forcibly took him into a room and locked him inside.
“Because my husband was a Muslim, his hand was crushed with a brick, he was given electric shocks, and he was beaten until around 1 a.m. After that, the accused threw him onto the road in a half-dead condition and fled. Then someone from the neighbourhood called the police and informed them.”— Shabnam Parveen, wife of the deceased Athar Hussain
'If My Husband was Treated Timely, He Would be Alive'
Shabnam said that the police did not give her any information about her husband’s condition or his admission to the hospital. When she came to know the next day, she reached Nawada Sadar Hospital, where he did not receive timely or proper treatment. The family sought permission to take him to a private hospital, but the police refused. Later, Athar was transferred to Pawapuri and then to Bihar Sharif Sadar Hospital, where he died after routine examinations.
According to Athar’s wife, he was the sole breadwinner of the family and is survived by three children.
Shabnam alleges that if her husband had received timely and better medical care, his life could have been saved. She says the police did not take the entire matter seriously, the cost of which her husband had to pay with his life.
Responding to Shabnam’s allegations, Roh police station in-charge Ranjan Kumar told The Quint that the injured person was first taken to the local government hospital. From there, after being referred, he was taken to Nawada Sadar Hospital, where treatment was provided. According to Ranjan Kumar, when his condition worsened on December 11, he was referred to Pawapuri.
The station in-charge said that information related to the remaining treatment procedures rests with the doctors, and that the police have no role in medical treatment; the treatment was being handled by the doctors.
Accused First Beat Victim, Then Filed a Case Against Him
On December 5, an incident of assault took place involving Mohammad Athar. The next morning, the accused Sikandar Yadav lodged a complaint at the Roh police station, accusing Athar of theft. In the complaint, it was alleged that at around 10:15 PM, Athar Hussain entered his house and stole a gold bangle, a mangalsutra, a silver waist chain, and brass utensils. It was further alleged that when he was caught, Hussain attacked Satyanarayan with a rod, injuring him.
However, the deceased’s wife Shabnam describes these allegations as false and baseless. She said that after her husband was injured due to the assault, the accused opened the room door and scattered their belongings in order to frame him with a theft charge and save themselves.
In this case, Roh police station in-charge (SHO) Ranjan Kumar said that the police are also investigating the theft angle and that the investigation has not yet been completed.
8 Accused Arrested
Roh police station in-charge Ranjan Kumar told The Quint that the assault on Athar Hussain took place in connection with allegations of theft against him. He said that in this case, a total of eight accused—including four named accused—have been arrested so far, and the remaining accused will also be arrested soon.