A man died after allegedly being lynched by a mob during a local cricket match in Mangaluru on Sunday, reportedly for chanting “Pakistan Zindabad.” Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed the incident, adding that the man did not die immediately but succumbed to his injuries later. Authorities have arrested more than 10 individuals in connection with the case. “An incident of mob lynching has been reported involving an unidentified individual. I was informed that there are reports he was shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ during a local cricket match, which led some people to beat him. He didn’t die on the spot but passed away later. I’m yet to receive the full report. Around 10 to 12 people have been arrested and further investigation is underway,” the state minister told news agency PTI.
According to a report by India Today, the incident took place around 3 PM during a cricket tournament that featured ten teams and more than 100 players. Witnesses stated that the violence began with a scuffle between the victim and a man named Sachin, which escalated rapidly into a group assault. While some bystanders attempted to intervene, others reportedly continued the attack using sticks and kicking the man repeatedly. Police were informed about the incident around 5:30 PM, after the man’s body was discovered near a temple. Initially, Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal told the news portal that officers suspected a natural death due to the absence of major visible injuries.
However, further investigation revealed that the man had been assaulted. A post-mortem conducted at Wenlock District Hospital confirmed the cause of death as internal bleeding and shock due to repeated blunt force trauma, primarily to his back. Injuries were also noted on the limbs, back, buttocks, and genitals, reportedly caused by wooden logs.The case was registered based on a complaint filed by 33-year-old local resident Deepak Kumar. As per India Today, nineteen individuals have been named in the First Information Report (FIR), and police are analyzing CCTV footage and mobile data to identify additional suspects.