In SC, Rajasthan and UP governments respond on mob lynching incidents

Both state governments have tried to assure the Supreme Court that strict action will be taken against those inciting violence and/or those spreading rumours.

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New Delhi: State governments of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Friday sought to assure the Supreme Court that it has and is coming down with a heavy hand on incidents of mob lynching.

The country's top court had previously asked the state governments to respond to unfortunate incidents of mob lynching, stating that 'horrendous acts of mobocracy cannot be allowed to become a new norm.' On Friday, Rajasthan government in its response stated that those accused in the Alwar lynching incident in which 28-year-old Rakbar had been brutally assaulted. And while there have been allegations that cops delayed taking him to the hospital - which in turn led to his death, the state government told the apex court that strict action had already been taken against erring cops. It also informed that a charge sheet has been filed in the case in a lower court.

The UP government too has been in the eye of a storm due to incidents of mob lynching in the state. In its response, the government attempted to assure the top court that surveillance and preventive steps have been put in place to ensure such incidents are not repeated. The top court was told that the SPs in every district have been made Nodal Officers and that there is a task force which has been comprised. This task force will keep a check on people suspected of either inciting violence or of spreading rumours.

The Nodal Officer has also been instructed to work closely with the local intelligence units with at least one meeting each month. In addition, police patrolling has been started on national highways running through the state, the top court was told.