You Could Be Next- 6 Reasons People Have Been Lynched, Including Trying To Protect Their Face From The Sun
False rumours about child-lifting and cow slaughter have created havoc in many parts of the country.
- The Indian Express, in its report on Friday, revealed that 27 people have lost their lives in 15 cases of lynchings, across nine different states in the past one year.
The following is a list of the reasons why people were lynched:
- If you try to spread awareness regarding child-lifters and lynching
On June 28, Sukanta Chakraborty was travelling in a van with a loudspeaker issuing an announcement — that people should not believe in the rumours being spread on social media — at a crowded market place in Kalachhara when he was attacked.
- Digging pits to construct toilets for the poor
Vikas Verma, Gautam Verma and Gangesh Gupta had started a business of digging pits for toilets in rural areas, and were on their way back to Jugsalai in Jamshedpur around 8.30 pm on May 18 when they were lynched by a mob of 1,000.
- Asking for directions and offering chocolates
While travelling to a temple, Rukmini Devi stopped to ask for directions and the offered chocolates to few children playing nearby.
- Visiting a relative
In this infamous incident, N Balakrishna had gone to visit a relative. He was lynched by a mob of around 50, when he failed to prove that he was not a child-lifter.
- Simply doing your job
Abhijit Nath and Nilotpal Das were contractor and engineer, respectively. When simple doing their job on-location, villagers took them for child-lifters and beat them to death.
Zahir Khan was killed by a mob of 1,000 as he was travelling in a van with three assistants selling their wares.
- Protecting yourself from the sun
Sanjay Chandra had covered his face to shield himself from the heat of sun, when locals got alarmed. Over 1000 people attacked Chandra.
The fact that all these innocents died because of rumours spread on social media is utterly disturbing.
According to The Indian Express report, on an average, the nearest police station was within 10 kms from the crime scene in these 27 killings.