Victim’s family and lawyer say they will fight the move in court and warn that justice cannot be silenced by political pressure
NEW DELHI – Legal experts and the Muslim community have expressed their outrage after the Uttar Pradesh government sought to withdraw the case related to the 2015 brutal mob lynching of 52-year-old Akhlaq Ahmed in Bishara village in Dadri. The move has sparked concerns that the state is trying to protect the accused, with many questioning the government’s intention to “restore social harmony” by letting the perpetrators go free.
Akhlaq’s family and lawyer, Yusuf Saifi, are vehemently opposing the withdrawal, citing witness statements and evidence against the accused. Saifi calls the move an attempt to influence the court and shield the killers, saying, “This is a mob lynching. You cannot take back such a case.”
The government’s reasoning, citing “old rivalry” and the need to protect the accused as “Indian citizens”, has been widely criticised by legal experts and Muslim groups. The case, which has been ongoing for a decade, is seen as a test of the state’s commitment to justice and protecting minority rights.
On the night of 28 September 2015, a rumour was spread in Bishara village, involving local residents and members of a Hindu group, accusing Akhlaq of storing beef in his home. Soon after, a Hindutva mob stormed his house.
Akhlaq was beaten to death inside his own room. His son, Danish, was hit so badly that he was left fighting for life. His wife, Ikraman, later filed a complaint naming 10 attackers, and another four to five unidentified men.
Eyewitnesses — including Akhlaq’s wife, his mother Asgari, daughter Shaista, and son Danish — gave clear statements to the police. Based on this testimony, the number of accused rose to 18. A charge sheet was filed in December 2015. All surviving accused are currently out on bail.
Police took meat from Akhlaq’s home and sent it to two different labs.
The first report from Mathura in 2017 said it was cow meat. But the second report from a Hyderabad DNA lab found it to be sheep or goat meat.
The conflicting results raised doubts over how evidence was handled, and many Muslims at the time said the entire case was twisted to justify the mob attack.
In its letter to the court, the administration claimed that since both the victim and the accused live in the same village, and because eyewitnesses gave statements that changed some names, there may have been “old rivalry” between families.
The application says the case should be withdrawn “to restore social harmony”, and that the accused “are Indian citizens who must receive legal protection”.
This reasoning has shocked legal experts and Muslim groups, who say the state is trying to free the men charged with a violent, public murder.
Akhlaq’s lawyer Saifi also explained the details of the charge sheet: “A named case was filed against 10 people, and four to five were unnamed. A charge sheet was prepared against 15. Among them, two were minors whose matters went to the Juvenile Court. One accused has died. The rest are on bail.”
Muslim families in Bishara and nearby areas say they fear the withdrawal will send a clear message that mobs who kill Muslims can walk free. Many called it an “open attempt to save the attackers”.
A local resident said, “A Muslim man was beaten to death. His son was almost killed. How can the government now say the case should be closed? This is injustice.”
Human rights workers also expressed concern, saying the move deepens the fear already felt by Muslims across Uttar Pradesh.
The final decision now lies with the court. The judge will examine whether the state’s request is acceptable or amounts to misuse of power.
For Akhlaq’s family, the hope for justice continues. As his daughter Shaista once said in court, “My father was killed for no reason. We saw everything. We want justice, nothing else.”
The next hearing is expected soon, and the family’s lawyer says they will continue to challenge every attempt to free the accused.
