Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that speaking in favour of Pakistan amounts to treason, as the state investigated the lynching of a man in Mangaluru, allegedly for raising “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan.
"If anyone speaks in favour of Pakistan, it is wrong, it is treason," Siddaramaiah said, while responding to questions on the incident that occurred on April 27.
The man, identified by police as Ashraf from Pulpalli village in Sultan Bathery taluk of Kerala's Wayanad district, died after he was assaulted during a local cricket match near Bhatra Kallurti temple in Kudupu village, on the outskirts of Mangaluru.
Police said miscreants beat Ashraf with sticks, which caused internal bleeding and shock. He was declared dead at the hospital.
Ashraf allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans, which triggered the assault.
The chief minister confirmed that an inquiry is underway.
“If the Pakistan Zindabad slogan was shouted, it is wrong, whoever it is. Inquiry is still going on, a case has been registered, let the report come. It will be clear as to what action should be taken against whom,” Siddaramaiah said.
State home minister G. Parameshwara confirmed that the police are treating the case as mob lynching. “A person was lynched in Mangaluru, and while interrogating those behind the incident, they have claimed that the victim shouted 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan,” Parameshwara said.
He added that about 20 people have been arrested so far.
"We have taken the incident seriously. Further investigations are on. Many people had gone to play the cricket match. They are all being questioned to gather information. Investigation is very serious."
When asked whether Ashraf was from Kerala’s Wayanad district, he responded, “There is such information and it needs to be verified, by establishing his identity and contacting his parents.”
Parameshwara also responded to allegations that police tried to project the incident as a suicide. "We have no such information. If any such thing is there, it will come out from the investigation. If any police failures are identified, appropriate action will be taken."
The case comes amid heightened political debate over India’s posture towards Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, which left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead. Two of these tourists were from Karnataka.
Reacting to the terror attack, Siddaramaiah had on Saturday said, “There is no need for war, stringent measures should be taken. The security system needs to be tightened. We are not in favour of war. There should be peace, people should have security, and the central government should take security measures.”
BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra pointed to Pakistani media coverage of Siddaramaiah’s comments. “Big cheers for Wazar-e-Ala @siddaramaiah from far across the Borders!” he posted on X. “Pakistani media is all too praise for @siddaramaiah & visibly disappointed at the backlash he is receiving from BJP & others, for his comments against war with Pakistan."
Siddaramiah on Sunday said his remarks were being misinterpreted. “I said there is no need for war now, but terrorism has to be removed from its root and people need to be given security. India is the land of Buddha. We are peace loving people and we will not unnecessarily wage war with anyone. But if it is inevitable we will have to wage war against Pakistan.”
He added, “Whoever it is, we will wage war against such people... if we are provoked, we will not sit quietly.”
He reiterated his stance in a post on X: “War should always be a nation’s last resort — never the first, nor the only option. Only when every other means to defeat the enemy has failed, should a country be compelled to go to war.”
He added, “The horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, orchestrated by Pakistan-backed militants, has made it painfully clear — both to the people of our nation and to the central government — that there were grave lapses in our intelligence and security apparatus.”