The young man, Hasnain, was beaten up merely on suspicion that he was carrying meat of banned animal. Video of the attack goes viral, exposing rising mob rule and fear among Muslims in the region
NEW DELHI/KASGANJ — Fear gripped the Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj district after a young man, Hasnain, was brutally attacked by workers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, has once again raised questions about mob violence and targeted harassment of Muslims in the states ruled by Bharatiya Janata Party.
Hasnain, a resident of Chamunda Gate, was accused by members of Hindu organisations of carrying banned meat near Mallah Nagar village. Without any confirmation, he was surrounded and beaten in broad daylight.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers did not wait for any official confirmation. They pounced on Hasnain, shouting religious slogans and hurling abuses, while some filmed the attack. The video, now viral on social media, shows multiple men punching, kicking, and thrashing the helpless youth.
“They were not interested in facts. They just wanted to teach a Muslim a lesson,” said a local resident on condition of anonymity. “The police came late. By then, the boy was already bleeding badly.”
Police from Soron police station arrived at the scene and managed to rescue Hasnain from the angry mob. He was then taken to a hospital for treatment. The meat found in his bag was sent for laboratory testing.
Despite being the victim, Hasnain was taken into police custody for questioning. The double standard did not go unnoticed.
“Why is the victim being treated like a criminal?” asked Saleem, a community elder from Kasganj. “Our boys are being beaten in public, and instead of arresting the attackers, police are interrogating the injured.”
In a surprising move, the police filed an FIR against two named and six unidentified members of the Bajrang Dal. This led to outrage among Hindu organisations, who gathered at the police station demanding the withdrawal of the FIR. They staged a sit-in protest and shouted slogans, pressuring the police to protect their men.
“We will not tolerate this injustice against our workers,” said a Bajrang Dal leader during the protest. “The meat was from the prohibited animal. We were protecting the law.”
However, the law doesn’t allow citizens to take matters into their own hands. Many are asking whether these groups now feel empowered enough to act as judge, jury, and executioner.
“This is nothing but organised hooliganism in the name of religion,” said advocate Irfan Qureshi. “It is an open attack on law and order, and minorities are being targeted repeatedly.”
Police officials said they are investigating the case from “all angles” and have sent the meat sample to the lab. They also claimed to have pacified the Hindu protesters by promising a fair investigation.
The incident has triggered fear among Muslims in the area. Several families said they no longer feel safe travelling with food or meat in public.
“Even if it is mutton or chicken, we are afraid someone will accuse us of carrying beef and attack us,” said Abdul Hafeez, a meat shop owner. “What happened to Hasnain could happen to anyone.”
Activists and minority rights groups condemned the assault, calling it part of a larger pattern of mob violence targeting Muslims under the excuse of cow protection or meat transportation.
“This is not the first time such an incident has happened in Uttar Pradesh,” said human rights campaigner Zainab Naqvi. “There is an attempt to create fear among Muslims through public humiliation and violence.”
The incident is also gaining political attention. Leaders from opposition parties accused the ruling BJP government of allowing fringe groups to operate freely, eroding public trust in the police and judiciary.
“If the attackers were Muslims and the victim Hindu, the entire state machinery would have reacted differently,” said a local Samajwadi Party leader. “But here, the police had to explain themselves for filing an FIR.”
The repeated attacks on Muslims in the name of meat or cow protection raise serious questions about the state’s commitment to equal justice.
“The message is clear—if you’re a Muslim, your rights don’t matter,” said social activist Anwar Hussain. “There is no fear of law among these groups. They act with impunity.”
Hasnain’s family is in shock. His father, Mansoor, said they had never imagined such brutality.
“My son went to deliver meat. We still don’t know what kind it was. But even if it was banned, does he deserve to be beaten like this?” he asked with tears in his eyes.
There has been no arrest of the attackers at the time of writing. The police have only registered a case but taken no strong action, reinforcing what many say is selective justice.
“When mobs rule and police stand aside, where do ordinary people go for justice?” asked local journalist Shafi Ahmad. “This is not law and order. This is surrender.”
As Kasganj reels from this incident, the question remains: how long will the authorities look away while violent groups harass, threaten, and beat Muslims under one pretext or another?
