Muslim Judge Faces Death Threats After Convicting 14 Cow Vigilantes

Tue Sep 08 2026 13:53:35 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Judge Tabassum Khan is targeted with online hate and police protection after sentencing fourteen men to life for lynching a Muslim man over alleged cattle smuggling.

After a June verdict convicting fourteen men for the brutal murder of a Muslim transport driver, Judge Tabassum Khan has received death threats and online abuse that ridicule her Muslim identity. The case stems from a 2022 incident where a group of self‑styled cow vigilantes attacked the driver, who was accused of smuggling cattle. Khan’s ruling declared the attack a form of mob lynching and highlighted the threat of cow vigilantism. In response, courts and legal associations have condemned the threats and pledged protection for the judge. The episode underscores the link between judicial decision‑making, religious identity, and the safety of those who enforce the law.

On 12 June, the additional district and sessions judge of a Madhya Pradesh court, Tabassum Khan, sentenced fourteen men to life imprisonment for murder, attempt to murder, rioting and wrongful restraint in a 2022 lynching that claimed the life of a 50‑year‑old Muslim transport driver named Nazir Ahmad.

The assailants – who presented themselves as “gau rakshaks”, or cow protectors – were armed with sticks and rods. They dragged Ahmad and two companions out of a vehicle that was transporting cattle and brutally assaulted them on suspicion of smuggling. The driver later died while the companions survived and reported the incident to the court.

Khan’s judgment identified the act as a clear case of mob lynching. However, her verdict triggered a wave of Hindu‑right, right‑wing broadcasts and social‑media videos that specifically targeted her Muslim identity, threatening her safety and calling her death.

The online campaign combined caste‑based slurs with rape and death threats, and received thousands of likes and shares. A prominent rights‑wing anchor urged viewers to support “cow vigilantes” and suggested that the families of the men should speak out against the judgment.

The backlash escalated into physical marches. On 22 June, supporters of the Gau Raksha Parishad burned an effigy of Judge Khan during a protest in Punjab. Three days later, the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal staged a similar protest in Uttar Pradesh, demanding release for the convicted men.

In response, several legal bodies voiced condemnation. The Supreme Court Advocates‑on‑Record Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association publicly demanded justice for the threats. Judge Khan subsequently received police protection and the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the state to continue her security detail and to identify the perpetrators.

Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju highlighted that the attacks were not a critique of the judgment but a deliberate tactic to undermine Judge Khan’s authority by framing it around her religion. He stressed that a judge should be judged on legal reasoning, not on religious identity.

Security officials said a cyber‑cell is tracking those sharing inflammatory content, arresting two individuals under IPC sections for harassment. The incident reflects a broader trend of threats against judicial officers in India, echoing previous cases where retired judges faced intimidation over rulings that intersected with religious sentiments.

Why this matters: The episode illustrates how the judiciary is entwined with faith‑based politics in India. In a democracy, the legitimacy of judicial decisions must stand on legal facts, not on the personal faith of the adjudicator. Threatening a judge undermines the very foundations of law and democracy.