At Least 50 Extrajudicial Killings of Muslims Reported in India in 2025

In a chilling report, the South Asia Justice Campaign (SAJC) documented at least 50 extrajudicial killings of Muslims in India during 2025. Of these, 23 deaths were attributed to police, armed forces, or other state security personnel, while the remaining 27 were attributed to Hindu extremists targeting Muslims due to their religious identity.

According to the SAJC’s India Persecution Tracker, the majority of the killings occurred in Jammu & Kashmir, where incidents involving allegations of custodial torture, enforced disappearances, and staged ‘encounters’ led to the deaths of several Kashmiri Muslims. In Uttar Pradesh, at least six Muslims were killed in confirmed police ‘encounters’. The Tracker also reported cases of Muslims dying after police detention, with allegations of torture and denial of medical care.

Among the killings by Hindu extremists, nine were linked to violence from cow vigilante groups or mob accusations related to cattle theft. At least five other victims were murdered under the guise of being ‘Bangladeshis’ or ‘illegal immigrants,’ in connection to the ongoing xenophobic campaign against Bengali-speaking Muslims in India.

The report also highlighted the disturbing rise in targeted violence against Muslims, with 26 incidents of mass violence reported across 13 states, along with hundreds of individual hate crimes. The situation reflects a growing normalization of religious persecution, exacerbated by political tensions ahead of key state elections in India.