Lynching of Kalantus Barla: Difference between revisions

{{Incident infobox

|date=2019-09-22

|lat=23.1245

|lon=85.135

|killed=1

|injured=2

|trigger=cow slaughter

}}

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'''Kalantus Barla''' was a physically disabled Adivasi man who was beaten to death by villagers in Jaltanda Suari village, Khunti district, [[Jharkhand]], on 22 September 2019, after they suspected him and two other men of cutting meat from a cow carcass. The other two men, Fagu Kachhap and Philip Horo, were injured.<ref name="scroll-2019-09-23" /><ref name="week-2019-09-23" /> Police detained several people, but six days later only one arrest had been made.<ref name="enewsroom-2019-09-27" />

On Sunday, 22 September 2019, residents of Jaltanda Suari village, in the Karra police station area of Khunti district, allegedly saw three men near a river cutting meat from an animal carcass. Suspecting cow slaughter, they attacked the three men.<ref name="scroll-2019-09-23" /><ref name="week-2019-09-23" /> Police reached the spot after the beating and took the men to hospital.<ref name="scroll-2019-09-23" />

Kalantus Barla, who had a disabled leg, died on the way to hospital. The doctor in charge of the Karra community health centre said he had suffered injuries to his head, face and chest. Fagu Kachhap and Philip Horo were treated at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi.<ref name="week-2019-09-23" /><ref name="gulfnews-2019-09-23" /> According to eNewsroom, Barla had gone to the village to visit his sister, and Kachhap, a 35-year-old farmer, suffered a fractured hand.<ref name="enewsroom-2019-09-27" />

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Chhotanagpur Range) Homkar Amol Venukant initially said the sequence of events was unclear, and also said that preliminary investigation suggested the three men had been selling prohibited meat.<ref name="scroll-2019-09-23" /> He later said the preliminary investigation pointed to the involvement of five detained people. Police said they found no carcass at the scene but did find evidence of a mob assault.<ref name="week-2019-09-23" />

On the day of the attack villagers surrounded the Karra police station demanding the release of those detained, and the detainees were moved to another police station. The protest ended after sub-divisional police officer Rushabh Jha assured the crowd that the detainees would be released if found innocent.<ref name="week-2019-09-23" /> Reports gave the number of people detained as between five and seven.<ref name="scroll-2019-09-23" /><ref name="gulfnews-2019-09-23" />

By 27 September 2019, police had arrested one person, and most of those detained had been released. An officer at Karra police station said four people were named in the first information report and that more arrests would follow. Fagu Kachhap's brother said the family was not satisfied with the police action.<ref name="enewsroom-2019-09-27" /> No later reporting on charges or a trial was found.

Villagers told National Herald that members of the Bajrang Dal were behind the attack. Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo member Brinda Karat described the killing as "completely pre-planned" and said it was an attempt to divide Adivasis ahead of the state elections. Kachhap said he did not know why he had been attacked.<ref name="nh-2019-09-24" />

Members of the Adivasi Mulwasi Astitwa Raksha Manch, including activist Dayamani Barla, met the Khunti deputy commissioner and superintendent of police. They demanded the arrest of those responsible, compensation of Rs 25 lakh and a government job for the dead man's family, and Rs 5 lakh for each of the injured.<ref name="enewsroom-2019-09-27" />

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<ref name="scroll-2019-09-23">{{Cite news|url=https://amp.scroll.in/latest/938201/scroll_in|title=Jharkhand: Man dies, two injured after mob attack on suspicion of cow slaughter|publisher=Scroll.in|date=2019-09-23|author=Scroll Staff|access-date=2026-10-31}}</ref>