Dalit Hindu woman brutally murdered by Muslim man in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh
Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, India 
12 August, 2025
Case Summary
In the Silampura area of Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, a 40-year-old Dalit Hindu woman named Sharda Sirture was brutally killed inside her house by a Muslim man named Sheikh Salim. On the day of the incident, August 13, 2025, the accused entered Sharda's house and brutally attacked her with a hammer, striking her on the head and body. At the time of the assault, Sharda’s husband Manoj had taken their son to the hospital, while her brother-in-law Mithun was present in the house. Mithun stated that Salim forcibly pushed him aside and entered the house before launching a brutal attack on Sharda. The accused also assaulted Mithun before fleeing the scene and later going to the Shikarpura police station to surrender, after which he was taken into custody. Family members rushed Sharda to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries during treatment. Police confirmed that Salim had been in contact with Sharda for the past six to seven months and was known to the family. The incident triggered widespread outrage, with Dalit and Hindu organisations, including the All India Hindu Mahasabha, Bhim Army, and BSP workers, staging protests outside Shikarpura police station and demanding strict action against the accused. As of the date of writing this report, the investigation was ongoing.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
In this case, a Dalit Hindu woman was murdered by a Muslim man who had been persistently harassing her before eventually killing her. This incident could potentially constitute a crime motivated by religious profiling, as there have been several documented instances where Muslim perpetrators have targeted Hindu women due to underlying animosity towards Hindus, particularly Hindu women. Hindu women and girls are especially vulnerable to crimes such as harassment, sexual assault, and murder perpetrated by Muslim men. The targeting of the Dalit Hindu woman in this case also points towards the possibility of religious profiling. However, it is also possible that the crime was opportunistic, with the Hindu woman being more accessible to the perpetrator. Conversely, one might argue that a Muslim woman would generally be more accessible to a Muslim perpetrator than a Hindu woman, making the repeated targeting of this particular victim indicative of religious profiling. The available details do not provide clear evidence of religious motivation. At present, the primary motive appears to stem from personal obsession and emotional instability, more like a crime of passion than one driven by ideological or religious intent. Furthermore, the victim's family has not made any statements indicating a religious motive behind the crime. For this reason, the case has been added to the 'Undecided' database. If further information emerges that hints towards a religiously motivated crime, then it would be reclassified and included under the Hate Crime database.
Victim Details
Total Victim
2
Deceased
1
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 1
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 2
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 0
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 2
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
