The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) recently released the much-delayed crime data for 2017. Click here to know more.
The absence of figures relating to incidents of lynching hints at a deliberate attempt to conceal the data.
What do other reports show?
Figures available from various other sources indicate that in 63 incidents, 28 persons were killed between 2010 and 2017.
Of this, 24 were Muslims.
There have been 266 cases of lynching since 2014 and this continues to show an upward trend.
This makes an adverse impression about the role of the police in arresting such trends.
The recent incidents of mob violence include that of Tabrez Ansari, and Qasim Qureshi and Samiuddin.
[The 24-year-old Tabrez Ansari was brutally beaten by a mob in Jharkhand for alleged theft, eventually leading to his death.
Qasim Qureshi and Samiuddin were brutally attacked in Hapur, U.P., resulting in the death of the former and serious injuries to the latter.]
What were the governments’ responses?
The Supreme Court has directed the Centre and all states to frame stringent laws against lynching.
Manipur passed an anti-lynching law in November 2018.
Rajasthan and West Bengal have passed such legislation more recently.
West Bengal’s law is stringent, punishing with death those held guilty of lynching victims to death.
But these will be futile unless they are strictly enforced on the ground.
Political patronage to fundamentalist elements will deter the policemen from doing their duty.
Among other recommendations, the U.P. State Law Commission has emphasized on taking stringent action against officials for neglect of their duties.
The district magistrate and police officers can be imprisoned for a term extending up to 3 years with a fine up to Rs 5000.
What are the other measures needed?
The police should monitor fake news and arrest those who originate and forward news that could trigger mob violence or communal unrest.
They should also strengthen the intelligence network so that any plan to upset the law and order machinery is reported to the control room immediately.
Districts that are communally sensitive ought to have additional armed and well-equipped companies to get to the spot within minutes.
Prompt investigations into incidents of mob lynching followed by arrests and trial by fast track courts could go a long way in curbing such incidents.
The police should take responsibility to protect the witnesses and the victims from threats of withdrawing the case and other such influences.
In the interest of the victims and the witnesses, lynching must be made a non-bailable offence.
Policemen who watch as mute spectators should also be tried in the same manner as the perpetrators.
