Jharkhand women receive rape threat after Tabrez Ansari lynching incident

A group of Hindu women in Seraikela district said that they have been receiving rape threats after Tabrez Ansari was lynched by a mob in Jharkhand on June 18.

Jharkhand lynching — Ansari was handed over to the police on June 19 after he fell unconscious. He died three days later.Twitter

A group of Hindu women lodged an FIR in Jharkhand's Seraikela district on Thursday, June 27, alleging that certain sympathisers of Tabrez Ansari, the victim of a recent mob lynching incident in the state, have been threatening them with rape.

"A group of women have lodged an FIR at the Seraikela police station. They said they have been threatened with rape and other consequences. We are investigating the matter," IANS reported the Superintendent of Police as saying.

Around 20 people carrying the flags of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) entered Dhatkidih village where Ansari was lynched and threatened the women, according to local media reports. The group also reportedly removed religious flags from a temple and shouted slogans in favour of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

Investigation in the matter is underway.

However, the AIMIM president called this incident "fake news" on Twitter, and said that this was an attempt to distract people from the gruesome lynching of Ansari.

(2) Police presence & activity has significantly increased since the incident came to light. This has included arrests of suspects & picketing in Dhatkidih village. It's unfathomable that such a large group of people could cross a police picket as recently as the 24th
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 27, 2019

(3) All of the above can be corroborated by local law enforcement officials. @aimim_national has never subscribed to politics of reprisals or violence. For us, Tabrez's murder requires lawful, constitutional justice, it is too close to our hearts to cheapen it in such a manner
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) June 27, 2019

Ansari was caught by a mob on June 18 for allegedly attempting to steal a motorbike. A video of the incident, which shows the mob thrashing Ansari and him pleading with the mob to stop the assault, was widely circulated on the internet. The mob also forced him to chant "Jai Shri Ram and Jai Hanuman".

He died on June 22 at the Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur.