Dulena, India
A Hindu mob of thousands beat five men to death in rural India this week for allegedly skinning a cow alive. Cows are sacred to Hindus, and killing them is illegal in India. But Dalits, the low-caste people known as “untouchables,” may sell the hides of cows that die of natural causes. Police said they arrested five Dalits who were killing a cow near a temple, and when word of the crime leaked out, a mob stormed the prison and clubbed the men to death. Secular party leaders allege that the police incited the mob on purpose, to whip up Hindu nationalism. If that’s true, it worked: Many Hindus support the killings. “If this act becomes a deterrent to prevent others from doing this, then I think it was right,” said local Hindu leader Pitambar Gaur. “We consider the cow to be the mother of the world, of humanity.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Is Hamas losing control in Gaza?Today's Big Question Balance of power among remaining leaders shifts as rival group emerges and population turns
-
Mario Kart World: Nintendo Switch 2's flagship game is 'unfailingly fun'The Week Recommends The 'thrilling' racer includes a range of new features including open-world exploration
-
Frozen pizza sales could be a key indicator of a recessionThe Explainer Sales of the item have been increasing since the pandemic
