Three Christians were attacked by a mob in northeastern India on suspicion of slaughtering a cow, police said on Monday.
Local residents of Khunti district of Jharkhand State saw Kanantus Barla, Fagu Kaccap and Philip Horo with the carcass of a cow near a river at Jaltanga Village on Sunday, physically assaulting them, local media cited police officials as saying.
According to the reports, while Barla died on the way to the hospital, Kacchap and Horo are under treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi.
The local Christian community voiced concern over the lynching and called on the government to ensure their safety.
Father Anand Muttungal, convener of National Christians Federation, demanded immediate action against the people involved in the incident.
However, no arrests have been made so far, with local police saying the matter was “under investigation,” according to the local media.
According to a recent report from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) India, a total of 159 cases of mob violence against Christians were recorded in the first eight months of 2019.
