India News

Minhaz Ansari was arrested earlier for allegedly sharing objectionable comments on beef on Whatsapp and he reportedly lost his life now. The man's family in Jamtara, Jharkhand, alleges that Police tortured and killed Ansari. 

However the police claimed that the 22 year old died of encephalitis. They admit, however, to "lapses" by police officer Harish Pathak, who was in charge of Mr Ansari's arrest and questioning. He has been suspended and charged with murder. On October 2nd, Ansari, along with a group, was arrested over the offensive Whatsapp message and all the group members were released on the next day, except Ansari. 

"We took action because the WhatsApp message, with some comments about beef, had the potential to disturb communal peace so close to Dussehra and Muharram. The situation is peaceful now, we are keeping a strict watch," said senior police officer Ramesh Kumar Dubey.

According to the police, Ansari was the administrator of the group. 2 days after the arrest, his family came to know that, Ansari was shifted to a hospital in Dhanbad. The family, along with the villagers, went to the police station. Harish Pathak, who allegedly got into a fight with Ansari's father, has been accused in a complaint of attempted murder and harassing a woman. Mr Ansari died on October 9 in hospital.

"After Ansari's death, the attempt to murder charge has been changed to a murder charge," said Mr Dubey. He said that medical reports indicate Ansari was suffering from encephalitis and "it appears that the officer-in-charge did not check on this."