Centre mulls idea of bringing law to curb mob lynching

The Centre is learnt to have begun preliminary discussions on the possibility of bringing a new law to curb mob lynching, and one of the options being mulled is to amend the Indian Penal Code to define 'mob lynching' as a penal offence, a senior government functionary said today.

Another option being considered is to draft a model law that states can adopt to prevent incidents of mob lynching, the functionary said.

"Everything is in the preliminary stage as the entire Supreme Court order asking the Centre to come up with a new law has to be examined," he added.

He said it will take several days before the government firms up its stand.

The government may also further strengthen the framework relating to social media to ensure that rumours which may lead to such incidents are checked.

Condemning the rising incidents of lynching in India, the Supreme Court had on Tuesday asked the government to enact a law to deal such cases.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra had termed the incidents of lynching "horrendous acts of mobocracy" which cannot be allowed to become a new norm.