In a chilling turn of events, 23-year-old Lokesh Soni, a Hindu youth, died by suicide following a raid by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad members at his home in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district over allegations of cow meat consumption.   The incident, which occurred in Bhilai’s Supola area, has sparked outrage against the growing extremism of Hindutva groups, now targeting even Hindu households.  Soni's family alleges that coercion and intimidation by the raiders forced him to take the drastic step.

His aunt revealed that Soni locked himself inside the house as the mob descended. Hours later, his lifeless body was discovered after they broke down the door.  "My boy was scared. These people raided our home, alleging cow meat consumption. He couldn’t bear the harassment and ended his life," she lamented. Soni's father, a police station peon, now faces the devastating fallout of a system seemingly complicit in mob aggression.  Bajrang Dal leaders claim they acted on reports of cow meat being sold near a temple in Krishna Nagar.

However, activist Kunal Shukla from Raipur slammed the Hindutva group’s hooliganism under the guise of cow protection, stating, “This was no Abdul, this was Lokesh Soni. Hindutva groups now target even Hindus. The government’s silence emboldens them.”  The incident, rooted in intolerance, exposes a growing culture of mob justice, raising urgent questions about the government’s complicity and the unchecked influence of extremist organizations. Critics demand accountability and an end to such targeted violence that risks tearing apart India’s social fabric.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)