Muslim man, 21, lynched in Maharashtra for speaking to minor girl at cafe

A 21-year-old Muslim man was beaten to death in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district by a group of assailants, after he was seen talking to a minor girl at a cafe. The incident triggered tension in the area, with police arresting eight in connection with the incident.

The victim, identified as Suleman Rahim Khan, was attacked two days ago after being allegedly spotted chatting with a 17-year-old girl at a local cafe. An argument broke out between Khan and a group of youths, who allegedly followed him and the girl to another location, where they assaulted him again.

During the attack, Khan sustained severe head injuries. His parents rushed him to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Khan's father said Suleman said his son was beaten “very brutally” and had injuries all over his body. He added that his son had been in Jamner to submit an application for police recruitment. The father and other family members were also allegedly assaulted when they tried to intervene.

Police said the situation in Jamner remains tense and have warned against spreading rumours. Following the incident, a large crowd gathered outside the Jamner police station, prompting authorities to step up security in the area.

While the exact motive for the murder is yet to be established, police have arrested four more suspects, taking the total number of arrests to eight. Four of them have been remanded in police custody for five days, while six others remain at large. Teams have been formed to trace and arrest the absconding suspects.

The victim’s family is among only four Muslim families living in the village.

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Inputs by Manish Jog in Jalgaon