A Muslim man in his late 40s was found dead on Saturday morning in Gorakhpur’s Thathauli area, after reportedly being assaulted by a group of villagers. The victim, identified as Mushtaq Ali from Badgo village, was discovered severely injured by local residents on a morning walk, who then alerted police.
Authorities have sent the body for post-mortem and registered a case, launching an investigation into the incident, The Observer Post reported. A video circulating on social media appears to show Mushtaq being violently beaten by multiple individuals, allegedly on suspicion of theft.
While some villagers claim the attack was triggered by such suspicion, others say Mushtaq had been undergoing treatment for a mental health condition for some time. The exact cause of death will be confirmed following the autopsy.
“We are examining all possible angles,” said Station In-Charge Sushil Kumar Chaurasia, as quoted in the report.
The incident bears disturbing similarities to previous instances of mob violence, often targeting members of minority communities under unverified allegations ranging from petty theft to cattle smuggling. These patterns have raised serious concerns over rising vigilante justice, communal polarisation, and a lack of timely intervention by authorities.
The case has once again prompted calls for an impartial, thorough investigation to establish accountability and prevent further erosion of the rule of law.
