Nearly ten years after Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in Dadri, the Uttar Pradesh government has moved to withdraw all charges against those accused in the case.
Akhlaq, aged 52, was beaten to death by neighbours who suspected him of slaughtering a calf.
The state has filed an application before the Upper Sessions Court in Gautam Buddha Nagar, where the case is still being heard. The report states that the Assistant District Government Counsel submitted the withdrawal plea on October 15. It was filed on the basis of directions sent by the State Government in a letter dated August 26. The application notes that the Governor has provided written approval for withdrawing the prosecution.
Akhlaq was attacked on September 28, 2015. He and his son, Danish, were pulled out of their home and brutally beaten after a temple loudspeaker allegedly announced that he had slaughtered a cow and stored beef in his refrigerator. Akhlaq died from the assault, while his son suffered severe injuries.
The case drew national attention. Yet by September 2017, all 18 accused villagers were out on bail. Their release came soon after BJP leader Yogi Adityanath became Chief Minister. One of the accused is Vishal Rana, the son of local BJP leader Sanjay Rana.
After their release, the accused returned to their village. Akhlaq’s family left the area because they feared continued hostility.
Initially, the accused faced charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code. These included 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Akhlaq’s killing set off the Not In My Name protests across Indian cities. Demonstrators condemned rising incidents of mob attacks linked to cow vigilantism. In the years that followed, such violence became more common in several BJP-ruled states.