Current news?

=> Animesh Bhuyan, a 28-year-old All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leader, was lynched by a group of about 50 people following an argument over a road accident.

=> 13 people including the prime accused Neeraj Das was arrested.

=> Later Neeraj Das died in a road accident while trying to escape from police custody.

What is Mob Lynching?

=> Mob lynching refers to ‘the act of killing done by a mob without any legal authority or process Involved’.

=> Mobocracy is exactly opposite of rule of law and democracy.

=> SC said - “Lynching is horrendous act of mobocracy”

=> Mobocracy- Rule of Mob

Factors behind mob lynching:

1. Anonymity

=> Those involved in such attacks believe that when they indulge in such incidents, they would not be identified and the blame would not fall on anyone in particular.

2. Substance abuse

=> Substance abuse can be attributed for indulging in acts of crime without thinking rationally.

3. Frustration level of a large number of people is increasing due to factors like unemployment.

4. Vanishing ethos of rule of law.

Why mob lynching persists and what can be a possible solution?

=> There is no specific law in India to deal with the crime of mob lynching.

=> Provisions under the Indian Penal Code under which mob lynching is dealt with is Section 302 (murder).

=> It becomes difficult for the investigating agencies to bring all the perpetrators under the book.

What can be a possible solution?

=> In July 2018 the Supreme court of India in the case of Tahseen S Poonawalla vs Union of India had laid down 11 point guidelines for the state to prevent mob lynching.

Some important directives given by the SC to prevent mob lynching:

1. Every State to designate a senior police officer, not below the rank of Superintendent of Police, as the Nodal Officer in each district. This officer will constitute a special task force to collect intelligence on persons likely to commit such crimes or who are involved in spreading hate speech, provocative statements and fake news.

2. Both the Central and State governments have been directed to broadcast public notifications on radio, television and other media platforms informing the public of the consequences of taking the law into their hands.

3. Special law to be made by the state government to deal with mob lynching.

4. Family of the victim should be compensated.