A 40-year-old biryani seller was allegedly assaulted in Lucknow’s Itaunja area after some men suspected that he was carrying beef. The incident was recorded on video, which later circulated on social media. Police registered an FIR and seized the meat for examination. What Happened To Rizwan In Lucknow? The seller, identified as Rizwan, was transporting meat for his shop when the men allegedly stopped and assaulted him, according to the account provided after the incident. A video of the assault shows Rizwan being beaten with belts. A separate video of his statement also circulated online. Police registered an FIR after the assault video went viral. The meat Rizwan was carrying was seized and samples were sent for examination. Reports said the examination was intended to establish the nature of the meat. The allegation that Rizwan was carrying beef has therefore not been treated as an established fact. Police were investigating the assault and examining the seized meat. No accused had been arrested by the time of publication, according to the information provided for the report. Beef-Related Violence In India The Lucknow incident comes against the backdrop of reported cases of violence linked to allegations involving beef and cow slaughter. A report covering 2014 to 2024 recorded 53 incidents of lynching in India linked to suspicion of beef possession or cow slaughter. The report was compiled using existing news reports and social media accounts and states that its records are not exhaustive. The report also recorded Uttar Pradesh as having the highest number of cases of the broader category of lynching and mob violence covered in its dataset during the period.