On 12 June 2026, Indian courts handed out a life sentence for 14 men who were convicted of murdering a 50‑year‑old Muslim driver, Nazir Ahmad, in 2022 for allegedly smuggling cattle.
The men, who called themselves “gau rakshaks” – cow protectors – had taken Ahmad and his companions from the vehicle, assaulted them, and they later died from their injuries while the others survived to report the incident to the court.
Judge Tabassum Khan’s judgment emphasised that the killings were a clear case of mob lynching, and she outlined the criminal charges – murder, attempt to murder, rioting and wrongful restraint – under which the defendants were found guilty.
Shortly after the verdict, the judge was targeted with online videos that vilified her because of her religion, positioning the case as an attack on Muslims. The content offered no critique of the legal reasoning, yet focused entirely on hating her Muslim identity.
The attackers circulated these videos widely, increasing the reach and urgency of the threats, and prominent judicial bodies – the Supreme Court Advocates‑on‑Record Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association – condemned the aggression and demanded legal action.
The state police meanwhile opened a case under the Indian Penal Code, arrested two individuals, and the cyber‑cell continues monitoring the platform for new inflammatory material.
In a related case, former Bombay High Court judge Gautam Patel faced a sustained threat campaign over a succession dispute within a Muslim community; the Bombay High Court ordered state protection, setting a precedent for the care of judges under similar pressure.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court recognised the seriousness of the threats against Judge Khan and directed senior officials to detail protective measures and identify the perpetrators.
These events highlight a wider problem where the judiciary, especially minority judges, becomes a target of communal sentiment. Protecting judicial independence requires that legal systems be insulated from communal or religious pressures, thereby preserving justice for all communities, including indigenous and other marginalised groups.
