BJP leader Nityanand Mahto arrested for Jharkhand lynching

Ranchi: When Prime Minister Narendra Modi is urging people not to kill anyone in the name of Cow, here are some of his own party members who don't seem to care about the PM's words.

A Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nityanand Mahto has been arrested, in Jharkhand, in connection with Thursday's lynching of a Muslim man for allegedly carrying beef.

Mahto is the party's media in-charge in Ramgarh, was arrested on Saturday from the district party chief's house, the police said. He, however, has pleaded innocence, saying that he had visited the spot only to inquire into the incident after the police had reached.

The BJP leader has demanded an impartial probe into the incident.

It is worth recalling that on June 29 last, Alimuddin alias Asgar Ansari was beaten to death near Bajartand village for carrying the "banned meat" in a Maruti van.

Also Read: Several locals and policemen injured in communal clash in Jharkhand

A group of people stopped him and brutally attacked him. They also set his van on fire.

Police personnel rescued him and took him to a hospital where he died during the course of treatment.

Police had lodged FIR against 12 persons. Three persons including Mahto have been arrested so far.