Cow beaten to death by Muslim men, ambulance transporting the remains pelted with stones by Muslim mob
Suratgarh, Rajasthan, India 
15 May, 2025
Case Summary
In Udayapur Godaran village, Suratgarh, Rajasthan, a cow was attacked and beaten by two Muslim youths, resulting in its death. This incident subsequently led to communal clashes and stone-pelting between Hindu and Muslim communities. Hinduphobia Tracker contacted the local police, who clarified that the individuals responsible for attacking and killing the cow were Muslim youths. This incident heightened tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities, resulting in a communal clash. According to news reports, the cow had strayed onto the farm of the Muslims, where it was severely beaten, causing its death. This triggered communal tensions in the area. The situation escalated further the following day when the police were transporting the cow's remains in an ambulance. The members of the Muslim community pelted stones at the ambulance. A police officer was injured in the incident. This furthermore led to a violent communal clash and stone-pelting between the Hindus and Muslims. In response, the police deployed a significant force at the scene to prevent any further violence. The Suratgarh SDM and senior police officers were present, given the tense situation. Police also requested the public to maintain peace and exercise restraint, and considered imposing Section 144 in the village to restore law and order situation. As a consequence of the violence, local residents expressed fear of further unrest, leading to the closure of markets and people remaining indoors. The police launched a drive to identify the miscreants responsible for the violence, with the aim of restoring peace and fostering reconciliation between the Hindu and Muslim communities.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category - Attack on Hindu religious representation. The subcategory selected is - Desecration of the Hindu religious symbol. Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Therefore, any desecration of these Hindu religious symbols and representations is considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. The other primary category selected is - Attack not resulting in death. The subcategory selected is - Communal Clash/Attack. Communal clash is a form of collective violence that involves clashes between groups belonging to different religious identities. For a communal clash between Hindus and non-Hindus to qualify as a religiously motivated hate crime, the trigger of the violence itself would have to be anti-Hindu in essence. For example, if there is a Hindu religious procession that comes under attack from a non-Hindu mob and after the initial attack, Hindus retaliate in self-defence, leading to a communal clash between the two religious communities. While at a later stage, both communities are involved in the clash/violence, the initial trigger of the violence was by the non-Hindu mob against the Hindus and therefore, it could safely be termed as an anti-Hindu violence. Further, the trigger would also have to be religiously motivated. In the cited example, the attack by the non-Hindu mob was against religious processions and therefore, can be concluded to be religiously motivated. In some cases, the trigger may be non-religious, however, it develops into religious violence against Hindus at a later stage. In such cases too, the foundational animosity towards Hindus becomes the motivating factor of the crime and therefore, it would be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus under this category. This case has been classified under the primary category "Attack on Hindu religious representation" with the subcategory "Desecration of the Hindu religious symbol" because it involves the brutal killing of a cow—an animal deeply revered and considered sacred in Hinduism. According to reports, the cow had merely strayed into a Muslim-owned farm, a common and unintentional occurrence in rural areas. However, the vicious and disproportionate attack on the bovine was entirely unjustified and reflects an intrinsic animosity not just towards the animal but towards Hinduism itself, given the cow's sacred status. Such a brutal assault could only happen due to deep-seated hostility against Hindu beliefs and symbolism. The subsequent communal violence and stone-pelting by members of the Muslim community, including the attack on an ambulance carrying the cow’s remains, further underline the deliberate nature of this act as an attack on Hindu religious sentiment. This intentional desecration of a sacred symbol and the communal tensions it sparked highlight the religious motivation behind the violence, warranting its inclusion in the Hinduphobia Tracker under this category. It is important to mention that the communal clash that followed was not initiated by the Hindu community. The violence erupted as a direct consequence of the unprovoked and vicious attack on the sacred cow, a deeply revered symbol in Hinduism, which hurt Hindu religious sentiments. This attack acted as the trigger, leading to heightened tensions and eventual clashes, but it was the initial desecration that sparked the unrest, not actions by the Hindus The sequence of events, beginning with the killing of the cow, followed by stone pelting at the ambulance carrying the cow remains and targeted violence, reflects a deliberate pattern of communal provocation and hostility. This progression underscores how an act of disrespect towards a sacred Hindu symbol escalated into broader communal tensions, highlighting deep-rooted animosities that go beyond a mere isolated incident. The violence and aggression that ensued were not spontaneous but a reaction to the initial unprovoked attack, emphasising why this is a clear hate crime targeting Hindu religious sentiments and warrants inclusion in the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
