There have been rising incidents of mob violence and attack on police forces in our country. Only a tough action can restore the rule of law
Growing incidents of mob violence in many parts of the country are a matter of serious concern. What is most disturbing is inaction of the police force that looks on even as a violent mob lynches and kills innocent people on mere suspicion. The lynching of six innocent people in Jharkhand over child abduction rumours is shocking. Equally disturbing is rising incidents of attack on the police force in different parts of the country.
In Jharkhand, there was no complaint or an FIR of missing children. Yet, some people spread rumours and lynched innocent people, and alleged that they were child lifters. This happened in Singhbhum district. The victims belonged to both communities, Hindu and Muslim.
With people in rural and semi-urban areas having access to WhatsApp and other social media services, it is easy to spread rumours with criminal intent. It has been said that a group of people on WhatsApp circulated rumour by sending messages that child lifters were active in the area. They mobilised young people and went on rampage, attacking innocent men and women on the streets, which resulted in the death of at least six people.
The Jharkhand police has taken action and arrested some people. According to a senior police officer of the State, the police has ordered all groups on WhatsApp to include the local police station officer in their group so that the police is aware of what kind of messages are being circulated in the disturbed areas of the State. This would help the police identify trouble-makers who are out to create panic and violence. Similar incidence of mob violence have been witnessed in other parts of the country too.
Caste violence in Saharanpur: Hardly 180 kilometers away from the national capital, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, too witnessed ugly violence in the name of caste. Houses were burnt and ransacked; people died; there were violence on the streets and mohallas of Sasharanpur. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath Yogi took a prompt action by suspending some police officials, including the Superintendent of Police of Saharanpur and also transferred other officials who were found guilty of dereliction of duty. The violence continued for more than a week. The clash was between the Dalits and the upper caste Rajputs. In Shabirpur village, under Badagaon police station, violent clash took place between the Dalits and the Thakurs. The police station too was attacked and torched. More than 20 vehicles were set on fire. It started on May 5.
In the Kashmir valley: From school children to young and middle aged men and women pelt stones at the police, the para military forces and the Army. But situation in Kashmir is different.
Rising incidents of attack on our police forces in the rest of the country is a matter of serious concern. In Delhi, there have incidents where people have been killed on small and petty issues like parking dispute and minor accidents. Someone riding a motor cycle brushed the car on Delhi road. The car owner fired and killed the man who had hit his car.
In Jharkhand, when the police reached the place of occurrence of the incident in Jamshedpur, the mob attacked the police. An irate crowd tore the uniform of a police officer. Fear of uniform appears to be receding. Criminals don't fear police these days. But the question is: Why is it happeningIJ The answer lies in the system itself.
In most cases, there is a police-criminal-politician nexus. There are instances when even Ministers give protection to hardened criminals and at times Ministers protect corrupt and criminal elements in the police force. In both the situations, the Janta Janardan sees the nefarious run of the administration. Criminals and mafias see how the police in uniform are not only corrupt but weak before the rulers. This gives the criminals and murderers a sense of fearlessness. They commit crime thinking the police or the neta would protect them.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau, in 2015, some 731 policemen were killed on duty. Maximum number of policemen killed were from Uttar Pradesh — 431, followed by Maharashtra 95 and Punjab 82. In Patna, sometime back, police stopped a junior doctor who was driving two-wheeler without helmet. The junior doctor and his fellow doctors beat the policeman for doing his duty. In Delhi too, there have been instances when policemen were run over by speeding car drivers who were waived to stop at police barricades at night. Only tough action against the criminals, speedy investigation and trial of offenders and a check on politicians giving patronage to criminals, mafias and corrupt police force can restore the rule of law in the country.
(The writer is Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha)