SC to Seek States’ Report on Implementation of Lynching Guidelines

At least 158 attacks have taken place and 78 people lynched since 2015 in cow-related and other similar mob attacks.

Families of victims who were lynched in Dhule, Maharashtra, on suspicion of being child-lifters. Representative image.

(Photo: ANI)

Click here for the complete list of mob attacks and lynchings since 2015.

The Supreme Court will seek compliance reports today from 29 states and seven union territories on the implementation of the court’s guidelines to deal with mob lynchings and cow vigilantism, Times Now reported.

The Supreme Court on Friday, 7 September, took exception to the fact that only 11 of the 29 states and seven union territories had filed reports regarding compliance of its order directing them to take steps to deal with mob lynchings and cow vigilantism.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khawilkar and D Y Chandrachud granted the last opportunity to the defaulting states and UTs, warning if they did not file their reports within a week, then their home secretaries will have to appear in person before court.

At least 78 people have been lynched since 2015 in cow-related and other similar mob attacks. At least 158 mob attacks have taken place since 2015 as well.

During the hearing, the Centre informed the court that an empowered Group of Ministers has been set up to consider framing a law on mob violence following the cow vigilantism verdict.

The bench was hearing a plea by Congress leader Tehseen Poonawala seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against Rajasthan officials including the Chief Secretary and the police chief for alleged violation of the top court's verdict in the alleged lynching of dairy farmer Rakbar Khan on 20 July.

On 17 July, the top court had said that "horrendous acts of mobocracy" cannot be allowed to overrun the law of the land and issued a slew of guidelines to deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism.

It had then also asked the Centre to consider enacting a new law to sternly deal with such incidents.

(With inputs from PTI)