Lynching in Mangaluru: Fact-finding report seeks CID probe

Two months into the mob lynching of Mohammed Ashraf, a ragpicker from Kerala at Kudupu, Mangaluru, People’s Union for Civil Liberties-Karnataka, All-India Lawyers Association for Justice-Karnataka, and the Association for Protection of Civil Rights-Karnataka have jointly released a fact-finding report on the incident.

The report, titled ‘Lost fraternity: A mob lynching in broad daylight’, has alleged failure on the part of the State administration in ensuring impartial investigations into incidents wherein the oppressed community members were the victims.

The organisations have demanded the transfer of the investigation to the CID, appointment of a special public prosecutor, and compensation to the victim’s family.

‘Failure of State’

Releasing the report at the Press Club of Bangalore, Mavalli Sankar, State convener, DSS – Ambedkarvaada, said, “In such cases, it is important that officials and elected representatives visit at least the family of the victims to inspire public trust in the rule of law. It has happened neither in the case of Ashraf nor after the incident in which a Dalit at Kattarghatta was killed.”

Ashwini K.P., U.N. special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, reminded that, given India is a signatory to the international convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination, the State is duty-bound to eliminate hate that leads to violence. Noting that the media has played a key role in communalising the Pahalgam attack and Muslims have been increasingly villainised following it, she stressed on the need to report responsibly.

A hate crime

Maitreyi Krishnan, president of All India Lawyers Association for Justice, noted that the lynching incident was not a mere murder, but a hate crime.

“It is an attack on the values of the Constitution. The police officials who delayed the registration of the FIR did not follow the Supreme Court guidelines on mob lynching,” she said, demanding disciplinary action against the police officials.

Advocate Vinay Sreenivasa demanded that the State administration organise a meeting with civil society groups on how best to uphold law and order. He expressed concerns over the government’s plans to introduce new laws to counter hate and fake news, as well as establish the Special Action Force, while, according to him, it has failed to enforce the existing laws.