Jharkhand Police has dropped the murder charges in the chargesheet filed against the 11 accused in Tabrez Ansari’s death case. The chargesheet cites the final post-mortem report which states that Ansari’s death was caused by a ‘cardiac arrest’. The chargesheet also states that Ansari’s death was not a ‘pre-meditated murder’.
Last month, the police had filed a chargesheet under IPC section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). Earlier, on basis of complaint filed by Ansari’s wife, the police had earlier invoked IPC section 302 (murder).
Indian Express, while quoting SP Karthik S, reports that the chargesheet was filed under section 304 because of two reasons. Firstly, Ansari did not die on spot. “The villagers did not have any intent to kill Ansari,” he adds. Secondly, the medical report did not substantiate the murder charge. He further added that the autopsy stated that Ansari died due to cardiac arrest and that a haemorrhage in the head was not fatal. Second medical opinion had deduced that the cause of death was a combination of cardiac arrest and head injury.
In June this year, the investigation team set up by the district administration to inquire into the matter of Tabrez Ansari’s death has concluded that he could have died as a consequence of stress-induced cardiac arrest. Tabrez Ansari was allegedly brutally beaten by a mob in Jharkhand on the 18th June on the accusation of theft. He had died on 22nd in police custody.
According to the Police, people had gotten into a fight with Ansari on 18th June who was accused of trying to steal a bike. After police got information about the same, they reached the spot and rescued him. Police had also recovered the stolen bike and some other items. The Police gave him first aid, subjected him to a medical examination and then submitted the report to the Court, only then he was sent to jail. Three days later, his health deteriorated and he died. Therefore, the Police says it is wrong to claim he died due to mob lynching.
Comments of both the doctor and police suggest that the mob attack may not be the result of Ansari’s death, but that will be confirmed after the detail forensic reports become available.
