Muslim Judge Faces Death Threats After Sentencing Cow Vigilante Men
On 12 June, additional district and sessions judge Tabassum Khan in Madhya Pradesh convicted 14 men from the 2022 incident where a Muslim cattle driver, Nazir Ahmad, was lynched by a group of so‑called “gau rakshaks” claiming they were protecting cows. Khanna gave each defendant a life sentence, citing murder, rioting and wrongful restraint.
The verdict sparked an online hate campaign in which videos featuring Hindu right‑wing commentators hurled racist slurs at Khan and threatened her with death and sexual violence. The clips received thousands of likes and shares, and the threat narrative focused on Khan’s religion rather than the judge’s legal reasoning.
In reaction, the Supreme Court Advocates‑on‑Record Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association publicly condemned the threats and called for action against the culprits. Police officials confirmed that a case has been filed under the Indian Penal Code, two suspects have been arrested, and the cyber‑cell is monitoring the spread of inflammatory content.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the continued presence of police protection for Khan and demanded a full report on the security measures taken. The court also instructed senior officials to explain preventive steps and to identify those responsible for the online harassment.
Protests by cow‑protective organisations—such as the Gau Raksha Parishad and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal—allegedly threatened the released men and attacked effigies of the judge, further inflaming the situation. While the judiciary stresses that judgments should be judged on legal merits, the targeted attacks highlight a dangerous inversion of justice in communal politics.
Legal analysts point to precedent cases where judges have been protected under state orders after facing threats, indicating that the legal system is beginning to respond to the new challenges of online hate. The case may set a precedent for how courts protect their own in the digital age.
This developing story is being updated live. Readers are encouraged to share verified reports and flag misinformation. For more context, see our earlier coverage on cow vigilantism and hate crimes in India.
