27 Muslims killed by state, non-state actors in India in 2026 so far: Report

New Delhi: At least 27 Muslims have been killed by state and non-state actors across India in 2026, with eight deaths reported between August and October alone, according to a quarterly assessment by the South Asia Justice Campaign's India Persecution Tracker (IPT).

The latest report, covering six states, attributed three of the recent deaths to police encounters and five to deaths in custody or prison. It also documented eight killings by cow vigilantes and other non-state groups across four states during the same period.

Uttar Pradesh accounted for 103 of the 146 incidents recorded in the assessment, emerging as the state with the highest number of reported cases. West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh recorded three deaths each during the quarter.

The report highlighted the use of police shootings in cattle-related cases in Uttar Pradesh, stating that at least 118 Muslim men were injured in non-fatal police shootings between August and October, including 105 in the state.

It also documented hate speeches, assaults, voter-list exclusions and demolitions of religious structures targeting Muslim communities.

According to the assessment, at least six mosques were fully or partially demolished across four states in September. It further flagged mass objections against Muslim voters during electoral roll revisions and the displacement of Bengali-speaking Muslim families in Assam.

The report described 2026 as the deadliest year for such killings since the tracker began documenting incidents in January 2022.