A Muslim judge in India has been subjected to online harassment and death threats after sentencing 14 individuals to life imprisonment for their role in a fatal mob attack.
On June 12, Additional District and Sessions Judge Tabassum Khan of Madhya Pradesh convicted the group for murder, attempted murder, rioting, and wrongful restraint. The case stemmed from a 2022 incident where 50-year-old Nazir Ahmad was attacked while transporting cattle at night by self-styled “gau rakshaks” (cow protectors), who intercepted his vehicle armed with sticks and rods. Cows are considered sacred in Hinduism, and their slaughter is banned in several Indian states.
Ahmad and his companions were dragged from their vehicle and brutally assaulted on suspicion of smuggling cows. Ahmad died from his injuries, while the survivors testified in court. In her judgment, Khan explicitly characterized the incident as a case of mob lynching.
The verdict triggered immediate backlash, with online campaigns targeting Khan based on her religion rather than the legal merits of the case. Videos featuring Hindu right-wing influencers circulated widely, using communal slurs and issuing explicit threats against the judge. Protesters, including family members of the convicted men, gathered outside the court to challenge the ruling, claiming the defendants were penalized for protecting cows. Judicial authorities have since condemned the threats, and Khan has been placed under police protection amid growing concerns over communal tensions in the country.
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