The death of a 30-year-old man accused of sexual assault has triggered allegations of custodial killing and drawn sharp political reactions in Jharkhand, after his body was found under 'mysterious' circumstances three days after his arrest.
Aftab Ansari, a tailor employed at a garment shop in Ramgarh district, was taken into police custody on 23 July following allegations of rape by a tribal woman. He was reportedly handed over to the police by a right-wing group. On 26 July, his body was discovered on the banks of the Damodar river, roughly 20 kilometres from the district headquarters.
Ramgarh Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar confirmed that Ansari had been arrested on 23 July and taken for a medical check-up, but claimed he had “escaped” from the police station around 12:15 pm the following day. CCTV footage, the SP said, showed him leaving the station “in a healthy condition”. However, the police admitted that no immediate search operation was conducted. Two policemen and two home guards have since been suspended for negligence, as reported by The Indian Express.
The family disputes the police version and alleges foul play. According to The Indian Express, Aftab’s brother, Altaf Ansari, claimed that a right-wing group had assaulted Aftab at his garment shop before handing him over to the authorities. “A video later surfaced showing him walking out of the police station. But no one simply walks out of custody like that. We believe he was forced to flee to cover up what really happened to him,” Altaf said.
His wife, Saleha, went further, alleging a conspiracy between the police and the group. “There’s no way they are not complicit together. They beat him and then made it seem like he escaped,” she told The Indian Express.
Based on the family’s complaint, an FIR was lodged on 26 July against 12 individuals affiliated with the group; one arrest has been made so far.
Ramgarh SP Ajay Kumar, in his statement to The Indian Express, maintained that the post-mortem report showed no external injuries and ruled out custodial death. “Yes, there was negligence in securing him, but he was not harmed in custody,” he said.
The case spiralled into a political controversy after BJP leader and former chief minister Babulal Marandi posted on social media alleging that the accused had attempted forced religious conversion. “A man named Aftab Ansari raped a tribal girl and tried to convert her to Islam by making a video… Why are criminals so emboldened under the Hemant government?” he wrote on 24 July.
After news of Aftab’s death emerged, state Health Minister Irfan Ansari accused the BJP of fuelling communal tensions. “This did not happen in police custody; it happened under the shadow of BJP’s ideology,” he said in a statement, adding that Marandi’s “provocative tweet” had created pressure on the police and poisoned the atmosphere.
“The Chief Minister has been informed, and the DGP has been instructed to conduct a high-level inquiry,” he added. “Whether it is a person in uniform or in saffron, anyone responsible must be punished. This fight is now about humanity.”
Marandi, in response to the allegations, as reported by the Indian Express said that he had tweeted only after receiving a complaint from the survivor’s family. “My post was to ensure the administration took action. If they had done so earlier, I wouldn’t have needed to post anything. This is not about ideology, it’s about accountability,” he said.
