SC-VIGILANTISM-HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the highlights of the Supreme Court verdict on mob violence and lynching:* SC asks Parliament to consider enacting a new law to sternly deal with mob lynching and cow vigilantism.* State governments to designate a senior police officer, not below the rank of Superintendent of Police, as nodal officer in each district.* Such nodal officers should be assisted by a DSP rank officer in the district for taking measures to prevent such incidents.* They shall constitute a Special Task Force to procure intelligence reports about the people who are likely to commit such crimes.* The states shall forthwith identify districts, sub-divisions and/or villages where instances of lynching and mob violence have been reported in the recent past.* The process of identification should be done within a period of three weeks from today.* The Secretary, Home Department, of the states concerned shall issue directives to the Nodal Officers of the districts concerned for ensuring that the officer in-charge of the police stations of the identified areas are extra cautious.* Nodal officer should hold regular meetings with the local intelligence units in the district along with all station house officers to identify the existence of the tendencies of vigilantism and mob violence.* The Director General of Police (DGP)/the Secretary, Home Department, of the concerned states shall take regular review meetings with all the Nodal Officers and state police intelligence heads.* The Nodal Officers shall bring to the notice of the DGP any inter-district co-ordination issue for devising a strategy to tackle such issues at the state level.* It is duty of every police officer to disperse a mob by exercising his power under Section 129 of CrPC (Dispersal of Unlawful Assembly), which has a tendency to cause violence or wreak the havoc of lynching in the disguise of vigilantism.* The Home Department of the Government of India must take initiative and work in coordination with the state governments for sensitising the law enforcement agencies on the issue.* The Centre and the state governments should broadcast on radio and television etc. that lynching and mob violence of any kind shall invite serious consequence under the law.* Centre and states to take steps to curb dissemination of irresponsible and explosive messages, videos and other material on various social media platforms which have a tendency to incite mob violence and lynching of any kind.* The police shall register FIR under relevant provisions of law against persons disseminating irresponsible and explosive content which is likely to incite mob violence and lynching.* If a police official or an officer of the district administration has failed to comply with these directions, it shall be considered as an act of deliberate "negligence and/or misconduct" for which appropriate action must be taken.* The horrendous acts of mobocracy cannot be permitted to inundate the law of the land, says SC.* There cannot be any investigation, trial or punishment out on the streets.* It is the duty of the states to strive and promote fraternity amongst all citizens.* Rising intolerance and growing polarisation expressed through spate of incidents of mob violence cannot be permitted to become the normal way of life or the normal state of law and order in the country.* It is the law enforcing agencies which have to survey, prevent and prosecute in regard to cattle smuggling and cruel treatment to animals.

SC-VIGILANTISM-HIGHLIGHTS

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