By Huneza Khan
Bhopal: Sheru Susadiya’s family in Multanpur of Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh have not stopped mourning since that night in the middle of September when his lifeless body was brought home. The 32-year-old farmer, who worked his own small fields and supported a family of nine, was lynched in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara on September 16 by purported cow vigilantes.
His friend and companion that night, Mohsin, survived by hiding in the dark, but what he witnessed has left him shattered.
“Sheru was killed before my eyes. They asked our names, saw we were Muslims and then started beating us,” he told The Wire.
The two had a receipt proving the cattle had been purchased legally for agriculture, but the mob tore it up, attacked them with lathis, looted their money and even phoned Sheru’s family demanding Rs 50,000 to spare his life, Mohsin said.
A pattern of violence
What happened was more than mere violence: it was yet another example of how Muslims are systematically targeted, extorted and threatened under the guise of ‘cow protection’, leaving behind silenced survivors and devastated families.
According to data compiled by IndiaSpend in 2017, India recorded 66 instances of cow-related violence between 2012 and that year. Ninety-seven percent of these incidents occurred after May 2014, when the BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, came to power. The database shows only one case each in 2012 and 2013, while none were listed from 2010 and 2011. Some 85% of those killed in these attacks were Muslim.
Mohsin sounded frustrated when The Wire spoke to him. “Political parties have been visiting Sheru’s home since his death. My phone rings all day. I am exhausted from repeating the same thing over and over.
“I am a poor labourer. Sheru was like my younger brother. We had bought five animals for farming and left four at the fair while bringing one bull home. A mob of at least 20 individuals chased us, raising religious slogans. They asked our names and began beating us as soon as they heard ‘Mohsin’ and ‘Sheru’.
“They had weapons, fired shots and tore up our receipt. I escaped into the jungle after they hit me, but Sheru was not so lucky. I am hurt. I am in trouble, and only God knows the state I am in. Nobody stops the killings of Muslims in the name of cows. Who would take care of my family if I were dead in the attack? I won’t risk my life traveling again. All I want is justice, nothing else.”
In images of Sheru undergoing medical treatment that were obtained by The Wire, the lower half of his body is seen covered in bruises. His injuries suggest he may have also been struck with sharp weapons and dragged, with his skin torn in several places. Similar injuries were visible on his upper body as well.
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here.
