The Apex Court has issued a notice to the Centre and different states on a PIL for enacting and implementing the uniform policy for grant of ex-gratia compensation to the victims of hate crime/ mob lynching.
The court has directed the Centre and states to tell their stand within 8 weeks.
The PIL has also asked the Centre to suitably modify the existing victims compensation schemes which were framed pursuant to the judgment of this Court in Tehseen Poonawalla in order to provide just, fair and reasonable monetary compensation to the victims of hate crime/mob lynching
As per the guidelines laid in the Tehseen Poonawalla ,the manner in which victim compensation has to implemented was laiddown.
It said that due regard is to be given to the nature of bodily injury, psychological injury and loss of earnings including other opportunities.
Unfortunately, many mob lynching incidents happen in India, often based on communal or religious differences,
- Pehlu Khan lynching: In 2017, Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer from Haryana, was lynched by a mob in Alwar, Rajasthan, on suspicion of smuggling cows for slaughter.
- Akhlaq lynching: In 2015, Mohammad Akhlaq, a Muslim resident of Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of storing beef in his house. The incident led to widespread outrage and condemnation.
- Tabrez Ansari lynching: In 2019, Tabrez Ansari, a Muslim man from Jharkhand, was beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of theft. Video footage of the incident showed Ansari being tied & beaten to death.
- Palghar lynching: In 2020, two sadhus and their driver were lynched by a mob in Palghar, Maharashtra, on suspicion of being child kidnappers. The incident got widespread, with some groups claiming that it was communal in nature.