Rajasthan: Muslim man lynched on accusation of wood theft, forest officials joined the mob.

In Bansur tehsil of Alwar district, Rajasthan, a 27-year-old Muslim, Wasim, was beaten to death, and his two associates, Asif and Azharuddin, were injured when a mob attacked them on suspicion of illegally chopping wood in a forest. The victims were travelling in a pick-up jeep when the assailants, including forest officials, armed with sharp-edged weapons, sticks, and iron rods, targeted them. The mob, which raised anti-Muslim slogans during the attack, also blocked the road using a JCB excavator and forced the Muslim men to exit their vehicle.

Casuality: Wasim, the driver of the pick-up jeep, succumbed to the brutal attack and lost his life. His two associates, Asif and Azharuddin, suffered injuries during the assault. The incident underscores the tragic consequences of suspicions and prejudice leading to lethal violence against a minority community in a seemingly routine activity.

State Intervention: Forest officials, along with villagers, were involved in the attack. 10 individuals, including four forest officials, were detained for interrogation. In the police complaint, Wasim’s father, Tayyab Khan, asserted that his son had legally acquired the wood from a nearby dealer during the day. The police seized the Forest Department’s jeep and registered an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, causing hurt, and wrongful restraint, indicating the initiation of legal proceedings against the perpetrators.