Overactive Mobs & Gau Rakshaks: A timeline of the protests

A day after people in several parts of the country took to the streets against recent incidents of mob violence and cow vigilantism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent out a tough message to those indulging in such acts saying killing people on pretext of protecting cows is not acceptable and that no one has the right to take law into his hands. Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, in a bid to quell frayed tempers, asserted that there was no atmosphere of fear or insecurity prevailing among the minorities, reiterating the Modi government’s commitment to promoting inclusive growth. Rahul Gandhi termed the PM’s statement as “too little, too late”. ET lists some major incidents:

March 5, 2015
A mob of about 8,000 people broke into a prison, dragged a man, Syed Farid Khan, a 35-year old Assamese businessman, detained under suspicion of rape, out of the Dimapur jail, paraded him naked and beat him to death in a case of vigilante justice.

Sep 2015
Mohammad Iqlakh, a resident of Bidhada village in Dadri district of UP, was dragged out of his house and lynched by a 200-strong mob after an announcement was made from a temple alleging the family had slaughtered a calf.

July 2016
Dalits were thrashed by cow vigilantes in Gujarat’s Una town for skinning a dead cow. Later, it was found the cow was killed by a lion. Dalits then who refused to dispose of dead cows.

May 2017
Seven persons, including two brothers returning from work linked to the Swachh Bharat campaign, were beaten to death by mobs in two attacks in tribal-dominated areas near Jamshedpur following rumours of gangs involved in kidnapping children being active in the region.

June 12, 2017
Around 50 vigilantes targeted officials of the Tamil Nadu government transporting cows from Jaisalmer to their state, pelted stones at a truck and blocked National Highway 15 on suspicion of cattle smuggling in Rajasthan’s Barmer district. The accused tried to assualt the officials, who were rescued by police.

June 22, 2017
17-year-old Junaid Khan was stabbed to death while his brothers were injured by a mob after a dispute over a seat onboard the Delhi-Mathura train between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations. The attackers also hurled communal slurs against them.

June 23, 2017
Deputy SP Mohammed Ayoub Pandit was stripped naked and stoned to death by a mob after he allegedly opened fire at a group of people, who caught him clicking pictures near a mosque in Srinagar downtown on June 23.

June 27, 2017
Over a 100-strong mob attacks a Muslim man on the suspicion that he had slaughtered a cow after allegedly finding the carcass of a bovine near his house in Giridih district. Ten persons have been detained.