ISLAMABAD: An Indian judge who sentenced several men to life imprisonment for the mob killing of a Muslim truck driver has received death threats, prompting police protection and the arrest of two suspects accused of posting threatening content online.
First Additional Sessions Judge Tabassum Khan of Narmadapuram in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh sentenced multiple men to life imprisonment in early June for the August 2022 killing of truck driver Nazir Ahmed, according to the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association.
The case stems from tensions over cattle transport in India, where cows are considered sacred by many Hindus while cattle remain part of the livestock trade within Muslim communities.
Conviction triggers protests
Vigilantes intercepted Ahmed's truck carrying cattle, accusing him of smuggling, and attacked him with sticks and iron rods, according to Citizens for Justice and Peace. Two other occupants survived with critical injuries.
Court records cited by Citizens for Justice and Peace show that Judge Khan, a Muslim, heard medical testimony from Dr Shekhar Raghuvanshi, who said Ahmed arrived at a hospital unconscious with unrecordable vital signs caused by severe head injuries. Forensic Science Laboratory reports cited by the organization found human blood on weapons seized from the homes of the accused.
The verdict triggered protests by cow protection groups in several Indian states. The groups burned effigies of Judge Khan and demanded the release of the convicted men, The Quint reported.
Citizens for Justice and Peace said campaigners portrayed the convictions as religious persecution and focused on Judge Khan's Muslim identity to challenge her authority rather than pursuing legal appeals.
Threats against Judge Khan later spread online. Videos warning of violence unless the convicted men were released circulated on social media, the Hindustan Times reported.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered police protection for Judge Khan. Cyber forensic investigators identified Pankaj Kumar Mishra and Anuj Awasthi, who were arrested in separate states and charged under laws prohibiting threats, the Hindustan Times reported.
The newspaper said both men admitted posting inflammatory content online.
Similar cases
Judge Khan's case follows other instances in India involving threats or attacks against judges after high-profile rulings.
Additional Sessions Judge Sreedevi V G in Kerala sentenced 14 people to death in January 2024 for the murder of a political leader, The Hindu reported. The ruling was followed by organized social media campaigns containing death threats against the judge, and Kerala Police arrested four people accused of coordinating the intimidation.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Uttam Anand of Jharkhand was killed after being struck by a vehicle on July 28, 2021, shortly after rejecting bail for organized crime figures. The Central Bureau of Investigation determined the killing was premeditated, and both perpetrators later received life sentences without remission.
Judicial records citing news coverage show that Special Judge Jagdeep Singh's 2017 conviction of a religious sect leader on rape charges was followed by riots that killed 38 people. Authorities flew the judge by helicopter to a prison to deliver the sentence, and India's Home Ministry later provided him with security protection.
Retired Bombay High Court Justice Gautam Patel also faced harassment after his April 2024 judgment in a community succession dispute. His daughter was assaulted in London, and three bar associations filed litigation. The high court later directed that state protection be provided to the retired judge.
India's Supreme Court opened a suo motu case in 2021 examining security arrangements for lower-court judges, according to case records cited by The Hindu. Court dockets show the proceedings have stalled, with the last scheduled hearing on March 21, 2025.
Judge Tabassum Khan remains under police protection ordered by the Madhya Pradesh High Court, while criminal proceedings continue against two men accused of issuing online threats, the Hindustan Times reported. The Supreme Court proceedings on security for lower-court judges remain pending.
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