In a chilling incident that has once again highlighted the growing culture of mob violence in India, four Muslim men were lynched in broad daylight near Aligarh on suspicion of transporting cow meat. The victims—Saleem Khan, his nephew Aqeel Ibrahim, and two young laborers—were ambushed while on their way to a local mandi (market) from Atrauli, transporting goods in a container truck, reported the Zee News.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was stopped by a mob linked to Hindutva outfits. The group, allegedly led by Ramkumar Arya and Arjun alias “Bholu,” accused the men of carrying beef and demanded ₹50,000 to let them pass. When the demand was refused, the mob turned violent, brutally assaulting the victims with iron rods and sticks. Some onlookers filmed the incident while others stood by, unable or unwilling to intervene.
The attackers also looted the men, snatching their mobile phones and cash, before setting the container truck ablaze. Local police reportedly arrived after the assault and transported the injured victims to a nearby hospital. All four are said to be in critical condition.
An FIR has been registered against 13 identified individuals and 20–25 unknown persons under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Superintendent of Police (Rural), Amrit Jain, confirmed the registration and stated that the meat seized has been sent for testing. He also clarified that the transporter’s documents were valid and that the meat appeared to be buffalo meat—a legal commodity.
Despite this, activists expressed skepticism about the possibility of justice. “FIRs are routine. Arrests may happen. But convictions? Rarely,” a local rights activist said. The incident has sparked outrage locally but has received little attention from national media or mainstream political leaders.
“This is not just violence—it’s a societal breakdown,” said a local professor. “Where are the voices that once celebrated Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb? Why are they silent when our fellow citizens are lynched over mere suspicion?”
The Bajrang Dal has claimed that the truck was previously involved in illegal meat transport, but authorities have denied any such record in this case. Activists argue that cow protection has become a pretext for targeting Muslims with impunity.
