Karnataka Interior Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday confirmed that an unidentified individual was lynched by a mob last week in his state during a local cricket match for shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

Relations between Pakistan and India have plummeted to their lowest level in years following an April 22 attack in the Indian-occupied Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. Following the incident, New Delhi, without providing any evidence, implied Pakistan backed the attackers — an allegation that Islamabad has strongly denied. The world has been urging the two nuclear-armed neighbours to “exercise restraint” amid rising tensions.

Speaking during a press conference, a video of which was shared on the X account of The Press Trust of India, the minister confirmed the incident, saying, “A mob lynching was reported, however, the identity of the victim could not be ascertained. He was rooting for Pakistan during a local cricket match while shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’,” he said.

The minister added that it was not yet known whether the victim was from Karnataka or came from elsewhere, adding that as soon as people in the crowd saw him rooting for Pakistan during the match, a few of them gathered and started assaulting him.

“He didn’t die on the spot, he died [later] because of the shock,” the interior minister said, adding that nearly 10 to 12 people had been arrested and further investigation was underway.

“We will definitely take this very seriously because such incidents should never occur anywhere.”

He said that if the victim had chanted pro-Pakistan slogans, people should have handed him over to the police rather than taking the law into their own hands.

Parameshwara called on the public to maintain peace and harmony in the state.

According to India Today, Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal said that it was a “brutal and unprecedented attack”.

“We’ve never seen such a case in Mangaluru before. The injuries were extensive, and there was no timely medical aid. That led to his death,” the commissioner was quoted as saying by the news outlet.