Question : Lynching Incidents

(a) whether incidents of lynching, killing of people based on fake news/social media rumours, suspicion of child lifting etc. and honour killings are on the rise in the country;

(b) if so, the number of such cases reported, persons died/injured, guilty arrested and the action taken against them separately during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has issued advisories/directions to the States to prevent/check such incidents and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to make amendments in the existing laws to define lynching and mob violence and revisit the penal provisions to make it more stringent and if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether the Government has any proposal to constitute a high level panel headed by a sitting judge to prepare a report on the issue and if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the other steps being taken by the Government to prevent and curb such incidents including formulation of a policy on lynching and fixing accountability for the said incidents including social media service providers?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
(SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)


L.S.US.Q.NO.1120 FOR 24.07.2018

(a) to (b): The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) does not maintain specific data in this regard.

(c) to (f): ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution. The responsibility to maintain law and order and protect life and property rests with the respective State Governments, who are competent to deal with such offences. Ministry of Home Affairs have, however, issued advisories to the States and UTs, from time to time, to maintain law and order and ensure that any person who takes law into his/her own hand is proceeded against as per law. An advisory has also been issued to the States and UTs on 04.07.2018, which emphasizes that the State Governments and UT administrations should adopt measures to ensure that violence, fuelled by unverified allegations circulating in the social media, is not allowed to be committed. The advisory dated 09.08.2016 advised the States/ UTs to take action to prevent untoward incidents in the country in the name of protection of cow. The advisory dated 04.09.2009 advised the States/UTs to take steps to curb the Violation of Women’s Rights by the so called ‘honour killings’. State Governments and UT Administration have been advised to keep watch for early detection of such trends of circulation of rumours having potential for violence, and take all required measures to counter them effectively and to deal firmly with persons taking law into their own hands. At present there is no proposal under consideration to constitute a high level panel headed by a sitting judge to prepare a report on the issue.




********