A 36-year-old man from Kerala, who was lynched in Karnataka’s Mangaluru district on Sunday after he allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans, had a mental disability, his brother was quoted as saying by The New Minute on Wednesday.

The man has been identified as Ashraf, a native of Pulpalli village in Kerala’s Wayanad district. He was allegedly lynched during a cricket match.

His brother, Abdul Jabbar, claimed that Ashraf had been undergoing treatment for a mental disability and often moved around, doing odd jobs, reported The Times of India.

Twenty persons have been arrested for Ashraf’s killing so far, according to The News Minute. The police suspect that at least 25 persons were involved in the assault.

The motive behind the assault was being investigated, said Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal on Wednesday, adding that the accused persons have been charged under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections pertaining to mob violence and culpable homicide.

The police had first registered the case as an unnatural death under suspicious circumstances. It was reclassified after the post-mortem report showed that Ashraf died from internal injuries caused by several heavy blows.

Speaking about the incident, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that shouting slogans in support of Pakistan was equivalent to “betrayal of the nation and constitutes treason”, reported The Times of India.

State Home Minister G Parameshwara had earlier said that mob lynching should not happen even if somebody shouts “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans. The persons accused of having killed Ashraf should have informed the police if he had shouted such slogans.

Inspector, two constables suspended

Police Commissioner Agrawal on Thursday suspended an inspector and two constables for alleged negligence in reporting the lynching case to senior officers, reported The Hindu.

Those suspended are Mangaluru Rural Police Inspector KR Shivakumar, Head Constable P Chandra and Constable Yellalinga.

In his order, Agrawal said that a man had informed the police of the lynching. Despite having information of the case, Shivakumar did not inform senior police officers who visited the spot where Ashraf was lynched, said the commissioner.

Instead, the inspector listed the persons accused of lynching as complainants and witnesses, and registered a case of unnatural death, he was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

Agrawal said that Chandra and Yellalinga had undertaken similar actions and directed the three policemen not to leave the headquarters without permission.