Eight youths have been arrested in connection with the mob lynching of a 21-year-old Muslim man in Jalgaon district in Maharashtra, who was allegedly beaten to death on August 11 after being spotted in a Jamner café with a 17-year-old girl from another community.

The victim, identified as Suleman Rahim Khan Pathan, was first attacked inside the café before being taken to his native village, Betawad Khurd, where he was beaten again, leading to his death.

The incident has left Jamner tense but under control, with heavy police deployment in place. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the killing, even as community leaders and authorities work to prevent any further flare-up.

According to police and district officials, Suleman was first attacked in the café by a group of 10 to 12 people. The mob then allegedly took him to his native village, Betawad Khurd, about 25 km away, where he was beaten again in front of his parents before succumbing to his injuries, The Indian Express reported.

His family members said they too were assaulted when they tried to intervene. Suleman, who had come to Jamner to fill out a form for police recruitment, collapsed after reaching home and was declared dead at a hospital.

The brutal killing triggered anger in the area, with hundreds gathering outside the hospital and police station demanding swift arrests. District Collector Ayush Prasad said the situation was volatile, with nearly 500 people assembling outside the police station.

“The police swung into action and immediately arrested two people the same day after registering an FIR. Immediately after the police took action, back-channel communication was maintained with leaders of all communities to ensure continued peace. There was no lathicharge or force used to ensure peace,” he said.

Prasad added that a Sub-Divisional Magistrate was stationed with the victim’s family to ensure their concerns were addressed and to prevent rumours from spreading.

“We ensured no excess action was taken against the families of the youths involved in the murder. We arrested only those involved. The SDM ensured no rumour-mongering and misunderstanding took place and kept the channel of communication open with both sides. We implemented the standard operating procedure systemically. The police took pro-active action,” he said.

Jalgaon Superintendent of Police Maheshwar Reddy confirmed that charges of murder and lynching have been filed. Additional SP Kavita Nerkar, who is heading the SIT, said eight arrests have been made so far. She clarified that investigators are not linking the crime to “love jihad” and that the probe is continuing.

Relatives of the victim, however, have demanded stringent action, including the invocation of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

“If the mob thought there was something objectionable happening, they could have taken them to the police station, which was next door,” Suleman’s uncle told the paper.

“We urge Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to slap the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the accused, as was done in the Beed case.”

Prasad Claimed that the attackers appear to be local youths without links to any right-wing organisation.

“It appears that they are not affiliated with any right-wing organisations, as these organisations have denied any connections to the mob,” he said.

“When a mob gathers, anything can happen including violence and stone-throwing, but we ensured continued peace with a lot of sympathy and empathy in all directions,” he said. The SIT, led by the additional SP, is now probing all angles of the case.