Indian muslim judge faces death threats after convicting cow vigilantes

An Indian judge has become the target of severe online abuse and death threats after sentencing 14 men to life imprisonment for a fatal mob lynching. On June 12, Tabassum Khan, an additional district and sessions judge in Madhya Pradesh, found the defendants guilty of murder, rioting, and other offenses. The conviction stemmed from a 2022 incident where a 50-year-old man, Nazir Ahmad, was brutally assaulted and killed by a group of self-styled "gau rakshaks" (cow protectors) on suspicion of smuggling cattle.

Following the verdict, Judge Khan, who is Muslim, became the focus of intense religious hatred. Right-wing influencers and cow protection organizations launched a coordinated online campaign, weaponizing her religious identity to delegitimize the ruling. Viral videos surfaced featuring communal slurs, rape threats, and death threats, with one individual warning of nationwide bloodshed unless the convicts were freed. Protests also erupted across multiple states, during which an effigy of Khan was burned.

The backlash drew sharp condemnation from prominent legal figures and judicial bodies, including the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). Former Supreme Court Judge Markandey Katju publicly defended Khan, emphasizing that judicial decisions must be evaluated through legal reasoning rather than the arbiter's religion. Khan later shared that the targeted harassment had left her traumatized.

Local police have since registered a criminal case, arrested two individuals, and deployed a cyber cell to track down those inciting violence online. Additionally, the Madhya Pradesh High Court intervened last week, demanding a formal explanation from senior officials regarding the security measures established to safeguard the serving sessions judge. Khan has been granted official police protection as authorities continue to monitor the situation.  (Source: BBC)