New Delhi: Senior Communist Party of India Marxist leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat has written to President Droupadi Murmu seeking urgent intervention in the 2015 lynching of Md. Akhlaq in Uttar Pradesh’s Bisahada village. She alleged the BJP led state government, with written approval from the Governor, is attempting to derail the judicial process by withdrawing the criminal case while the trial is ongoing.
In her letter, Karat recalled the killing of Md. Akhlaq, a 52 year old resident of Gautam Budh Nagar district, who was beaten to death by a mob outside his home on the night of September 28, 2015, following rumours of beef consumption. His son Danish suffered serious injuries in the same attack and continues to face its consequences.
Police registered a case under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting, murder, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, mischief, and house trespass. The incident triggered nationwide outrage and became one of the earliest lynching cases linked to communal mobilisation.
Karat said the trial had reached an advanced stage. The chargesheet was filed and proceedings began. In 2022, the victim’s daughter, a direct eyewitness, recorded her testimony and identified all accused. Two other eyewitnesses remain to testify, while key evidence already exists on record.
Despite this, Karat alleged the Uttar Pradesh government filed an affidavit before the Greater Noida district court seeking withdrawal of the case after obtaining the Governor’s consent. She criticised the grounds cited, including claims that no firearms were used and that continuation of the trial may disturb communal harmony.
Calling the move politically driven, Karat questioned the use of Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code in a lynching case and urged the President to direct the Governor to revoke the permission.
By Abdul Bari Masoud
