Key facts
- Judge Tabassum Khan sentenced 14 men to life imprisonment for lynching Nazir Ahmad.
- The convicted men were part of a group of 'cow protectors'.
- Khan has received death threats and online abuse focusing on her religion.
- Judicial bodies and former judges have expressed solidarity with Khan.
- Police have registered a case and made arrests, with ongoing investigations.
An Indian judge, Tabassum Khan, is facing severe online abuse and death threats following her sentencing of 14 men to life imprisonment for the 2022 lynching of Nazir Ahmad, who was transporting cattle. Khan, an additional district and sessions judge in Madhya Pradesh, found the men guilty of murder and other charges related to the mob lynching.
The verdict has ignited a wave of religious hate speech online, with numerous videos targeting Khan, a Muslim, and accusing her of bias against Hindus. These attacks focus on her religious identity rather than the legal merits of her judgment. Protests by family members of the convicted men and Hindu right-wing groups, including the Gau Raksha Parishad and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, have occurred, with effigies of Khan being burned and calls made for the release of the 'cow protectors'.
Prominent figures, including former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, have condemned the attacks, stating that they seek to delegitimize Khan's authority by reducing her identity to her religion. The Supreme Court Bar Association president has emphasized the grave threat these actions pose to the independence of the judiciary. Khan herself has reportedly expressed feeling traumatized by the abuse.
In response, police have registered a case and arrested two individuals, with cyber cells tracing those sharing inflammatory videos. The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered the continuation of Khan's police protection and demanded an explanation from senior officials regarding the steps taken to ensure her safety and identify those behind the threats.