UP man slits throat on Eid-ul-Adha, locals claim he ‘sacrificed himself in the name of…’

Locals in Uttar Pradesh's Deoria district have claimed that the 60-year-old man – who allegedly died by suicide by slitting his throat - was a “sacrifice on Eid-ul-Adha”. News agency PTI, quoting police officials, said Ish Mohammed Ansari slit his throat using a knife inside a hut outside his home on Saturday.

Locals asserted that Ansari had sacrificed himself on the day of Eid-ul-Azha and left a note that said, “I am sacrificing myself in the name of Allah and His Messenger.” However, police declined to comment on whether any such document was found.

Upon hearing his cries, Ansari's family members rushed to the hut and, with the help of police, shifted him to the district medical college. From there, he was referred to Gorakhpur Medical College, where Ansari succumbed to his injuries, police said.

Additional superintendent of police (north), Arvind Kumar Verma, told PTI, “Preliminary investigation suggests that Ansari inflicted the wound himself. However, we are probing the matter from all angles.”

According to family members, Ansari had returned home around 10 am on Saturday after offering Eid prayers at the dargah of Sultan Syed Makhdoom Ashraf Shah.

His wife, Hajra Khatoon, said he went straight to the hut beside their house upon returning. About an hour later, after hearing his groans, Hajra rushed over and found him lying in a pool of blood with a knife beside him.

Her screams drew the attention of neighbours, who then alerted the police.

Eid-ul-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice or Bakrid, was celebrated on Saturday, in India. The festival is not just about sacrifice; it has deeper relevance and significance. It symbolises generosity, advocates charity and values of compassion, humility and gratitude. Coinciding with the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca — one of the Five Pillars of Islam — Eid ul-Adha commemorates Ibrahim's sacrifice, celebrates unity and solidarity.

(With inputs from agency)