GUWAHATI: The Supreme Court has issued a warning to Assam, along with four other states, over its failure to address rising incidents of mob lynching and vigilante violence.
ALSO READ: Cyber Fraud : ₹58,000 of ₹91,000 Recovered In Guwahati
During a recent hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), a bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan directed the Chief Secretaries of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Bihar to file their responses within four weeks.
Calling out recent incidents of mob violence, including those by "cow vigilantes," the PIL claims that the Assam government, like other states, has not taken adequate action to prevent these attacks.
The petition particularly highlights recent cases of mob lynching against minorities over suspicions of cow smuggling, citing incidents in states like Bihar and Maharashtra and drawing attention to similar episodes that have sparked fear within Assam’s communities.
NFIW, on their part, added that these attacks continue unabated due to a failure in enforcing the Supreme Court’s 2018 Tehseen Poonawalla guidelines, which required strong preventive measures against mob lynching and a commitment to protecting vulnerable communities.
Additionally, the petition has urged immediate interim compensation for victims, stressing the importance of swift support for families affected by such violence.
The matter has been scheduled for a follow-up hearing in four weeks. Failure to comply with the same will mean the Chief Secretaries must appear in person before the Court to explain why action should not be taken against them.
