Alwar lynching case: SC seeks detailed response from Rajasthan govt

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a detailed affidavit from the Rajasthan government giving details of the action taken by them with regard to the incidents of lynching in the state.

The apex court's direction came while hearing a contempt petition filed by activist Tehseen Poonawalla, in connection with the Alwar lynching case. The court has given the state government a time of one week to furnish details, the matter will next be heard on September 7.

A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, and comprising of Justice A M Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, also asked other states to file their affidavits within two weeks with respect to their compliance report on the court's earlier judgment against mob lynching.

On July 17, the apex court had urged the Parliament to consider a new law to prevent such incidents and underscored that violence can't be allowed in the name of vigilantism. The court had also issued a slew of directions to the government asking to provide preventive, remedial and punitive measures to deal with offences like mob violence and cow vigilantism.

Rakbar Khan, 28, was allegedly beaten to death by an agitated mob on suspicions of cow smuggling in Alwar district on the intervening night of July 20-21. According to media reports, the Alwar police took three hours to take the victim to a hospital which was only six kilometers away.

The police allegedly made a halt on the way to the hospital to drop the cows at a shelter. As of now, two people have been arrested in the case.