GUWAHATI, June 4 - The North East Legal Organisation (NELO) has called upon the State government to enact a �specific and strict penal statute� to curb the menace of mob lynching.
�Assam has time and again encountered many heinous instances of offences of mob lynching. It is severely disheartening to be acquainted (sic) about such draconian and heinous acts. Be it the Jhankar Saikia case, the Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath case, or the Debashish Gogoi case, the instances of mob lynching prima facie appear to be burgeoning and a never ending process. The Assamese society is usually regarded as culturally enriched, but these activities are not only dreadfully inhumane but also defame the society at large,� NELO today stated in a memorandum to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
It added that the number of cases of mob lynching is escalating day by day and as there is no specific penal statute enacted by the State to prevent such instances.
�The cases of mob lynching generally come under the purview of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) of 1860 but even the IPC does not specifically deal with mob lynching as an offence. On the other hand, enacting a specific and strict penal statute on mob lynching shall definitely help the State in intervention and prevention of such instances,� stated the memorandum.
It requested the Chief Minister to look into the matter and take steps to enact �a specific and strict penal statute� on mob lynching so that comprehensive measures can be taken to eradicate the menace.
