Mob Lynching is that illegal activity done by the crowd of people who turn aggressive and kill an individual on the assumption that he is a criminal and held him guilty without any legal trial. Currently, 24 persons killed in Mob attacks in 2018, analysis shows incidents rose 4.5-fold since 2017. Jharkhand have highest death toll of mob lynching as per NCRB data.

Behind such “horrendous act of mobocracy” as said by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra, which has no specific law there is the clear pattern of reason, social media has a great role to play in this it is turning out to be a true serial killer that could not be put behind bars. A trail of rumors spreading the fire on various popular social sites such as Whatsapp, Facebook, twitter, and Instagram has created really an adverse influence on the youngsters as many uneducated youth who were supposed to have books in their hands hold mobile phones and some really disgusting contents in it. Since acting in such a manner social media has turned out to be an anti-social media now days. When real life and virtual reality is merged then the result is terrific.

It has been said rightly for this hi-tech loving people:
Blood, gore and murder no longer seem to evoke revulsion and horror. They can be simply scrolled away.

Vote bank and political interests are those two petty things for which politicians crave for, these politicians use the unemployed youths as weapon for their selfish interests. Sadly, today’s politicians seem to enact the current dualities that haunt Indian life and politics. The opposition on one hand blame government against mob lynching while on the other hand they persuade unemployed youth in name of cow vigilantism intermingling it with the religion.

Recently while I was surfing the news account I witnessed the headline “Hindustaan turning into Lynchistaan” this title strike deep down my heart, such title does nothing except abrogating the name and unity of the country only for the sake of TRP.

The government in Rajya Sabha said that, there is no common pattern on mob lynching, there are different political dispensations that fluctuates this national crime. Currently there is no present codified law against lynching; however sections of IPC, CrPC, Evidence act are adjusted for this matter.

Section 302 of IPC deals with murder, section 307 IPC deals with attempt to murder, section 323 IPC deals with causing voluntarily hurt, section 223 of CrPC deals with people charged together for committing same offence in the same course of transaction. Thus the clause of mob lynching will be also included in the abovementioned sections.

Recent cases of Mob Lynching:

Recently, on 19th July, in the eastern Bihar a mob beat to death three men suspected of trying to steal cattle. Similarly on June 26th Tabrez Ansari's father, Maskoor Ansari was also killed by the mob in a way similar to his son, fifteen years ago, he was caught by the mob while committing theft and was lynched. Recently, on 27th July 27, 2019 a juvenile of 14 years has been lynched by the mob, he was caught while committing theft in Ashoknagar, Delhi. West Bengal President Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday alleged that maximum people are being lynched at West Bengal for Jai Shree Ram chants.

Guidelines issued by Supreme Court to put curb on the mob violence:

# Supreme Court has directed state to appoint officer of SP rank and other nodal officer in order to put curb on the mob violence.
# Directions have been issued to Center and state to broadcast on television, radio and online a warning that mob violence and mob lynching may end up calling serious consequences.
# First Information Report should be filed against the person who spreads fake videos and fake messages.
# Police administration and district administration who fails to comply with the Supreme Court guidelines will be deemed deliberate negligence and an action will be taken against them.
# State to draw up compensation scheme to provide interim relief to the victim of lynching/ next to kin, within 30 days.
# Cases of lynching to be tried by the fast track court and shall be concluded within 6 months.

Government’s stand:
Government has taken steps to put restriction on this rising national crime, High level committee headed by Rajiv Gauba, Home Secretary was constituted, secondly, the central government constituted a panel headed by the Home Minister, to submit its report to Prime Minister as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

While the other steps taken are:
# Whatsapp forwarding message has been restricted to only five chats, in order to stop the fake rumors to get spread so easily and fast.
# MASUKA (Manav Suraksha Kanoon) a draft report proposed by national campaign against mob lynching.
# Not in my name campaign, a campaign to raise awareness.

Government also favored an amendment to existing laws instead of bringing a new law. Provisions could be by including a sub sections in various sections of IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act etc.to provide a harsher punishment.

Conclusion and Suggestions:
Such as there is no existence of good crime and bad crime, similarly there is no existence of good mob lynching and bad mob lynching. The crowd is of general perception that if judiciary and police administration cannot provide them justice, they should own it by themselves even the person has committed the minor offence such as theft. This clearly shows that people in country have lost their trust on law and order.

According to my suggestion, instead of introducing various sub sections in the bare acts of the country, this national offence should be dealt in the existing sections, and the current administration should focus more on reviving the lost trust and faith of the people on this judiciary and police system.

Moreover not only Whatsapp, but also other social sites should be under the supervision regularly, so that such fake messages and video can be stopped from being circulated at such a vast social platform. Investigation of such cases should be done without politicization of the issues, which will be more helpful.