Man in UP’s Unnao died after thrashed by group celebrating holi: family

Lucknow: Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao are probing ‘all angles’ into the death of a man after his family alleged that he was assaulted prior to death by a group celebrating holi.

Mohammad Sharif, 53, was on his way home on Friday when he reportedly objected to being forcibly smeared with colours.

However, the post-mortem report described ‘heart failure’ as the cause of the death, according to the police.

It is reported citing the police that no injury mark was found on the body.

Deepak Bhukar, Superintendent of Police, Unnao, reportedly said that police are ‘examining the case from all angles and looking into the allegations made by the deceased man’s family.’

Deepak Bhukar added that police charged four people with culpable homicide after Mohammad Sharif’s family named them in the First Information Report FIR. However, no one has been arrested yet.

Arriving in an autorickshaw, Sharif was walking home that day when a group including boys reportedly stopped him and tried to forcibly daub him with colours.

After his death, Sharif’s family claimed, according to Pramod Kumar Mishra, Station House Officer, Kotwali police station, that there broke out an argument and the accused slapped the man leading to his death.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday claimed on platform X that Sharif was beaten to death.

‘He objected to being forcibly smeared with colour. My prayers are with his family. They are not only grieving their loss but also struggling against the police’s lies,’ Asaduddin Owaisi reportedly said.

Adding further he said: ‘The police want to close the case by calling it a heart attack, not a murder. This incident did not happen because Holi and Friday fell on the same day; it happened because every mob now knows they have the protection of the police and administration.’