New Delhi: The lynching of 32-year-old Sheru from Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, has sent shockwaves through Bhilwara, Rajasthan. Sheru was brutally attacked in the early hours of September 16 while returning from the Lambia Raila cattle fair. He died on September 19 after battling severe injuries, leaving behind a grieving family dependent on him for survival.
According to eyewitness accounts, Sheru and his cousin had stopped for a meal when a mob of about 15 to 16 men accused him of smuggling cattle. The attackers used sticks and rods to assault him, robbing him of cash and his mobile phone before fleeing. Despite medical treatment in Bhilwara and later Jaipur, he succumbed to his injuries. Hospital images highlighted the extent of his suffering, shocking the community.
Police have registered a case of murder and arrested five individuals so far, while others remain at large. A Special Investigation Team has been formed. However, police also filed a case of cow smuggling against the deceased, a move that has drawn criticism from rights groups and deepened the family’s anguish.
Sheru’s death has devastated his family, who live in a modest kaccha house in Multanpura village. He was the only provider for his elderly mother, widowed wife, two young children, teenage brother, and two sisters. His father had died during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Sheru with the burden of supporting the household through daily wage labor and small-scale farming.
A fact-finding team of activists from Khudai Khidmatgar, NAPM, and other groups visited the family to assess the situation. Their report describes the family’s dire financial and emotional state. Officials have promised ₹5 lakh compensation, though the assurance has yet to be formalized.
The team demanded immediate arrest of all accused, fast-track trial under Supreme Court guidelines on mob lynching, enhanced compensation of ₹50 lakh, a government job for one family member, and protection for the family. They also called for preventive measures to stop the normalization of violence in the name of cow protection.
The Lambia Raila Fair, a historic venue for cattle trading and cultural events, has now been overshadowed by the brutality of this incident. Civil society groups and activists continue to press for justice, warning that unchecked vigilante violence threatens constitutional rights and public safety.
Sheru’s killing adds to the growing list of mob lynching cases reported since 2014, intensifying debate on accountability and state response.
