Mumbai: A 65-year-old Muslim man was brutally beaten and paraded semi-naked by Hindutva extremists in the BJP-ruled Maharashtra state of India.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, the victim has been identified as Rauf Sheikh Burhan Qureshi, a meat seller by profession. The attack was reportedly carried out by self-proclaimed RSS-backed cow vigilantes in Sarsoli, near Jalgaon city, on allegations of selling beef.

Family members of the victim stated that Hindu assailants dragged him from his house near Ayesha Masjid. He was savagely beaten before being taken around the streets and then forced onto a tractor trolley in a semi-naked state at the town’s weekly market, where the attack continued in public view.

His wife, Haseena Bi, recounted the ordeal, explaining that she received a call about the assault. Upon reaching the scene with her son, she witnessed the attackers mercilessly beating her husband. Attempts to intervene were met with resistance, and she reported being mistreated by the assailants.

Despite the severity of the attack, the police did not arrest the perpetrators. Instead, they registered a case against Rauf Sheikh and his son under charges of selling beef.

Farooq Sheikh, a local activist, commented on the victim’s severe condition, noting that Rauf Sheikh could not even be produced in court. This, he said, highlighted the extent of the brutality suffered.

Local civil society groups have warned of a sit-in protest outside the district police office if justice is not served. Legal experts have pointed out that the Supreme Court has directed law enforcement to take strict measures against cow vigilante violence, raising concerns over police inaction in this case.

The incident has reignited debates over mob violence and the misuse of cow protection laws in India. There are growing calls for stronger enforcement to prevent such incidents in the future.