Five days after a mob of Hindus beat to death a Catholic man for suspected cow slaughter in India’s Jharkhand State, Christian and Muslim activists joined in New Delhi to protest about violence against minorities.

A mob attacked Prakash Lakra and three others on April 10 after suspecting them of slaughtering a cow in Jhurmu village in the Eastern State’s Gumla district. Lakra died from his injuries hours after the attack, church sources said. About 100 protesters gathered in front of the Jharkhand Bhawan building in New Delhi on April 15 to shout slogans against the state government run by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“Such violence is nothing but a strategy to terrorize minorities and polarize the country in the name of religion for votes,” said Christian leader A.C. Michael, a protest organizer.

Speakers said violence in the name of protecting cows, which are revered animals in Hinduism, has increased ever since the BJP came to power in New Delhi. Hindu groups stepped up violence against Christians and Muslims because they considered the BJP victory a mandate for them to push for their goal of establishing a Hindu-only nation, activists said.

“We had never heard of people killing in the name of religion in our area. We tribals here respect each other irrespective of our faith. It is very unfortunate and shocking,” said Father Cyprian Kullu, Vicar General of Gumla Diocese in Jharkhand.

He told ucanews.com that Lakra and his friends did not slaughter a cow. An aged ox slipped in a pit and died and villagers decided to take its skin to be used.

Senior police official M.L. Meena told the media on April 13 that the attackers were armed with iron bars and sticks and attacked the victims brutally. At least 139 people were also injured in these attacks. More than half of the attacks were based on rumours, it is said.