A 48-year-old Muslim livestock and vegetable trader Sheikh Tajuddin succumbed to injuries days after being brutally beaten by a mob in Jharkhand’s Sapra village under Adityapur Police Station limits. The horrific mob attack took place on Sunday, December 8 when Tajuddin left his home following fajr namaz (dawn prayer).
On his way, the mob suddenly appeared in front of him and surrounded him with sticks and rods. Subsequently, the mob launched a brutal attack on Tajuddin, leaving him in critical condition.
Following the attack, he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was referred to RIMS Ranchi. While receiving treatment Tajuddin ultimately succumbed to his injuries on Friday, December 13.
He was buried the following day at Zakir Nagar graveyard in Jamshedpur after Isha namaz (evening prayer), leaving behind a grieving family and a community demanding justice.
Justifying their actions, the mob claimed the attack was due to a suspected cattle theft. However, Tajuddin’s family strongly refuted the narrative and alleged he was targeted because of his religious identity, pointing to his beard and skullcap as potential reasons for the assault.
“My uncle was a decent and devout believer who sometimes led the azaan (prayer call) in a mosque. We believe that he was beaten to death solely because of his Muslim identity, with his beard and skullcap”, said Tajuddin’s nephew as quoted by Azadpur Reporter.
Meanwhile, Adityapur police filed an FIR and arrested four suspects identified as Mannu Yadav, Chela Yadav, Sanjay Yadav, and Gautam Mandal. Currently, the police are investigating every aspect of the case and continuing raids to nab others involved in the crime.
The incident echoes a similar targeted attack that occurred in July, when Maulana Shahabuddin, an imam of a mosque in Jharkhand’s Barakatha, was beaten to death by a group of men after his bike allegedly hit a woman, causing her minor injuries in Jharkhand’s Koderma district.
These series of targeted attacks have raised serious questions bout religious tolerance and mob violence in the state.
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