Recently, a mob lynching incident had hit the media headlines in the eastern India state of Odisha. Two young girls were going in a two wheeler on a highway in the outskirt of state capital Bhubaneswar when they were hit by a motorbike. All four – the two girls and the two young men who were in the motorcycle – fell on the road.

               If the version of the girls are to be believed, the two bikers first deliberately hit them. Then one of the bikers reportedly made an attempt to outrage the modesty of one of the girls. When they(the two young ladies) raised an alarm, people from nearby villages rushed in. After an altercation, both the young men were manhandled by the angry mob. While one among the two managed to flee from the spot, the other could not. He succumbed to his injuries following severe beating.

            The local media, particularly the TV news channels went on an overdrive expressing their concern and anger over the incident. They questioned, how a mob lynching incident could take place in today’s modern times that too in police’s presence. Following a tip off about the incident, a few security personnel from the nearest police outpost had reached the spot. But they were reportedly out-numbered by the frenzied mob.

           True, mob lynching is an unlawful activity which is not permitted or acceptable in a civilised country or society. Still, people are not hesitating to take law into their own hands. The reason behind this should be properly looked into.

          The incidents of mob lynching are on the rise primarily because people do not have faith on the system. If a criminal is caught and arrested he or she would spent a few days behind the bars, then would get bail only to return to indulge in more criminal activities again. This is a common practise in India. This situation has led common people to believe that mob lynching or instant justice is a better option to teach the anti-socials a lesson. ‘’Sometimes mob attack is necessary to create fear in the minds of the criminals and anti-social elements’’, said a senior citizen who did not want to be quoted.

     Meanwhile, the police have arrested more than a dozen local villagers in connection with the incident. This has already led to resentments among a section of the common citizens who are of the view that such arrests would discourage people to come forward to help citizens in distress, particularly women.

       The state government has ordered the crime branch of the police to conduct a thorough probe into the incident. However, he family of the lynched youth demanded a probe by CBI(Central Bureau of Investigation) calling it a planned murder.

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