Hindu Mob Attacks

Muslim Man

After a rumor got

out that the family had
been slaughtering the cows
and storing the beef in their

Elizabeth Whalen

house, a mob was formed. Mohammad Akhlaq and

After a rumor got out that the family had been

What Happened?
Hinduism; a religion that focuses on living a

slaughtering the cows and storing the beef in their

good life, making beneficial choices and making

house, a mob was formed with about 200

improvements upon oneself. Despite these important

people. Mohammad Akhlaq and his son were

aspects of Hinduism,

beaten with bricks and

recently a Muslim man

sticks by a mob in a

was murdered by a mob of

village outside New Delhi

Hindus and his son was

in response to rumors that

put into critical condition

he had slaughtered a cow

because the family was

and eaten beef (Raj). This

suspected of slaughtering

outrageous act

and consuming beef. The

Hindu women praising a cow.

demonstrates how consuming

murder took place in Uttar Pradesh, a state in India

beef is an extremely huge felony in India because it

that had pretty recently enforced a law that banned

is a predominately Hindu country; however, being

the slaughter and/or consumption of beef. This law

kind to others and not harming others is a huge

was put into place because Hindus value cows

aspect of Hinduism, so what influenced this mob to

highly; they are sacred to Hindus.

go against their belief system? Many Hindus value

Why Did the Hindus Cause so Much Violence?

the cow even more than they value human life.

Hindus think of the cow as being a symbol of the

Was the Akhlaq Family Actually Slaughtering

Earth, the nourisher, the ever-giving, undemanding

Cows?

provider. The cow represents

Before the murder occurred, it

life and the sustenance of

had not yet been proven that the

lifeThe cow is so vital to life,

Akhlaq family had in fact been

the virtual sustainer of life, for

slaughtering cows. The police

many humans (Why Do Hindus

had found meat inside of the

Worship the Cow?). The cow is

home which has since been

essential to humans and any

proven to actually be from a

other animal or living thing to

goat, an animal not valued as

thrive, so it is valued more

Mr. Akhlaq

highly to the Hindus. Eid al-

highly than a human. Because Mr. Akhlaq was

Adha, a Muslim holiday that had occurred the week

rumored to have caused the bloodshed of many

before the murder, is celebrated by sacrificing a goat

cows, the Hindus believed

which is what was claimed

that providing an extremely

to be stored in the home

harsh punishment was

instead of a cow. The

required because he

daughter of Mr. Akhlaq

slaughtered the provider of

says, what we had in the

life. In this case, despite

fridge was mutton . . . We

the Hindu beliefs of not

did not even slaughter or

harming anyone or anything, the Hindus believed

make any offering this festival season. Not even a

that the murder was necessary.

chicken, let alone a cow (Raj). If the daughter is in

fact telling the truth, then an innocent man was

killed and his innocent son was put into critical

conditions all because of a rumor and a huge
misunderstanding. Though the murder could have
very well been a mistake, it did prove how seriously
the Hindus worship and honor the cow. It showed
how the Hindus think of the cow as being more
important than human life because they formed a
mob to murder a man based on a rumor that he had
killed a cow.
What are the Consequences for the Murderers?
The murder that took place was caused by
the perceived breach of an extremely serious matter
in Hinduism. Currently, more laws continue to be
made in India that make the slaughtering of cows
illegal because the majority of India is made up of
Hindus; therefore, most of the people are completely
against consumption of beef. 6/10 of the murderers
have been found. The murderers of Mr. Akhlaq are
facing punishments. However, Hindus across India
will continue to follow the many different aspects
and rules of their religion, and they will in some
extreme cases make sure that everybody, of any
religion does the same.