JOIN USWest Bengal government is considering to introduce a new law on mob lynching. According to sources in the state government, the reason behind the move is the lack of adequate provision for cases of lynching in the IPC and CrPC.
“Following the Supreme Court order last year directing the Centre and the state governments to take adequate measures with regard to mob lynching, the state government issued several directions to the police on how to deal with mob lynching cases. But it was becoming difficult to implement them due to lack of adequate provisions in the IPC and CrPC,” a senior government official said.
He added that at present police usually lodge cases either under section 302 (murder) or section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in relation to incidents of mob lynching.
“It is expected that the Bill will be tabled in the state Assembly during the next session starting from August 26,” he said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in July extended her support to the 49 intellectuals who wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their concern over rising incidents of hate crimes in the country. She has repeatedly criticised the BJP-led government at the Centre for not taking adequate action to curb incidents of mob lynching in the country.
Earlier this month, the Rajasthan Assembly passed the stringent Rajasthan Protection from Lynching Bill, 2019 which has provisions for life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to the convicted in cases of mob lynching where the victim is killed.