Lynching of Kishore Chamar
| Date | 3 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Location | Kundeijuri |
| District | Deogarh |
| State | Odisha |
| Coordinates | 21.3626°N 84.6552°E View on OpenStreetMap |
| Victims |
|
| Killed | 1 |
| Injured | 1 |
| Alleged trigger | Cow slaughter |
| Allegation | Suspicion that the two men had killed a cow; they said the animal had died naturally and they were skinning and cutting it |
| Legal status | Six men arrested in September 2025; as of February 2026 all six were in jail facing murder charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita |
The lynching of Kishore Chamar took place on 3 September 2025 at Kundeijuri village in Deogarh district, Odisha, when a group of villagers beat to death a 35-year-old Dalit cattle skinner whom they accused of killing a cow.[1] His co-worker, Goutam Nayak, was injured but escaped.[2] Police arrested six people, who as of February 2026 were in jail facing murder charges.[3]
Background
Kishore Chamar and Goutam Nayak were residents of Kaunsidhipa village in Deogarh district and worked as cattle skinners, removing hides from slaughtered animals.[2][4] Chamar was Dalit. Scroll noted that, a little over two months earlier, two Dalit men had been assaulted and tonsured by a mob in Ganjam district of Odisha over allegations of cow smuggling.[1]
Incident
On 3 September 2025 a group of villagers found the two men cutting up a cow in a forested area near Kundeijuri village, which falls under the Riamal police station; a severed cow head was also found at the spot.[2][4] Chamar said the cow had died naturally and that they were only cutting it, but the group accused them of having killed it.[1]
Deogarh Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Mishra told the Press Trust of India that "the two were beaten up by the group, and Chamar died on the spot". Nayak escaped.[2] According to The Wire, Chamar had collected a cow that had died and was skinning it when the mob arrived, and the attackers suspected that he and his companions were cutting cow meat for sale.[3]
Investigation and legal proceedings
Police arrested six people in connection with the killing.[2] Police said investigations were continuing to establish whether the cow had died naturally and whether more people had taken part in the assault.[4] The Wire reported in February 2026 that Riamal police had arrested the six suspects within hours of the killing and produced them in court. Five were from Kundeijuri and one from a nearby village. As of February 2026 all six were in jail and faced murder charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.[3]
Reactions
According to The Wire, apart from the Bhim Army no political party publicly took up the case. The Deogarh District Ambedkar Social Forum said it had informed the local Biju Janata Dal legislator, Romanch Ranjan Biswal, but that he did not meet the family or assure them of security. Deogarh District Collector Kabindra Sahu said he was not aware of any aid having been given to the family and would consider assistance if the widow submitted a petition.[3]
Aftermath
Chamar was survived by his wife, Manasi Chamar, aged 30, three daughters and a son. In February 2026 The Wire reported that the family had received none of the aid to which Manasi Chamar said she was entitled, including assistance under a state family welfare scheme and funds for the last rites. Citing fear for their safety, she had left the village with her children to live at her mother's home in Bargarh district, where she worked as a farm labourer.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Scroll Staff. "Odisha: Dalit man lynched on claims of killing a cow". Scroll.in. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 PTI. "Dalit man lynched on suspicion of killing cattle in Odisha 6 held". The Week (PTI). 4 September 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Gargy Satapathy. "Months After Husband's Lynching, Widow Receives No Support in Odisha". The Wire. 7 February 2026. Retrieved 31 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 NH Digital. "Dalit man lynched in Odisha for 'cow slaughter'; six arrested". National Herald. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2026.