Bakrid Tragedy: Elderly Man Sacrifices Himself Instead of Animal in Uttar Pradesh Ritual Shock

The Incident

On June 7, 2025, 60-year-old Ish Mohammad slit his throat in Udhopur village (Gauribazar, Deoria) after returning from Bakrid prayers. His wife Hazara Khatun found him bleeding in a shed after an hour-long struggle. Despite rushed treatment at Maharshi Devraha Baba Medical College, he succumbed to injuries. A suicide note revealed his radical rejection of animal sacrifice: “Humans raise goats like sons then sacrifice them—this is wrong. I sacrifice myself in the name of Allah’s Prophet…” He requested burial where the sacrificial stake stood .

“A person sacrifices a goat after raising it like a son, this is wrong. I am sacrificing myself in the name of Allah’s messenger… No one killed me. Bury me at the same place where the “sacrifice peg” was planted. – Deceased Ish Mohammad (written in suicide note before dying)”

Community and Religious Context

  • Festival Turned Funeral: Bakrid celebrations transformed into mourning; villagers demanded a fair probe while police conducted a postmortem .
  • Controversial Theology: Mohammad’s act challenged the traditional Islamic practice of Qurbani (animal sacrifice), spotlighting extremist interpretations. Scholars emphasize Islam prohibits self-harm, calling this a “dangerous deviation” .
  • Mental Health Lens: Local authorities confirmed investigating potential psychological distress, though family denied external foul play .

Broader Implications

This incident ignites debates on:

  1. Mental Health Gaps: Lack of elder-support systems in rural UP.
  2. Religious Education: Countering fundamentalist misinterpretations.
  3. Governance: Demands for responsive local administration amid recurring crises.

Current Status

Police filed a suicide case, while Deoria’s DM-SP ensured peaceful Bakrid observances elsewhere. Forensic reports are pending .

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