Mob violence cases need firmer police pursuit
We are quite disturbed to learn of the business-as-usual approach that the police have seemingly adopted in dealing with the cases of mob violence. According to a report by Prothom Alo, there has been negligible progress on the 46 incidents of fatal mob violence that its correspondents have followed up on. Out of these 46, only 36 had formal cases filed, while 10 had none. In the 36 cases filed, more than 9,000 individuals were "named" as suspects, mostly unidentified. Among them, 27 cases saw 114 arrested—representing an arrest rate of just 1.27 percent—while nine saw zero arrests. Moreover, chargesheets have been submitted only in six of the cases.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
This state of affairs is frustrating, as it shows that the sheer scale of the problem has not been met with commensurate action, despite repeated promises. While the government keeps saying that mob violence will not be tolerated, its resolve has not translated into better police performance. One could understand why certain officers on duty might be hesitant or afraid to act in the face of a seemingly spontaneous mob outburst, but what's preventing them from taking effective legal action afterwards? In the 13 months since August 2024, at least 220 people have reportedly died in mob violence across the country. Add to that the numerous non-fatal incidents reported every now and then. How many incidents had cases filed, or were properly followed up on? Leave alone trial or conviction, the picture that emerges from the assessment of primary legal interventions like arrests and chargesheets is deeply troubling.
Ironically, it is this very lack of legal action, and the trust deficit it creates, that are also responsible for why the so-called "mob justice" happens in the first place. Add to the mix personal motives like vengeance, political rivalry, or trade/property disputes, and the whole thing becomes extremely dangerous and exploitative. Even women, children, and persons with disabilities have not been spared from this madness. The Prothom Alo analysis also reveals another disquieting pattern: mob incidents that drew media attention or public outrage saw greater police activity, while those that remained "unnoticed" saw slower progress or none at all. After many such incidents, families of victims were too scared to even file cases, while the police simply chose to look the other way.
We, therefore, urge the government and police leadership to immediately bring mob violence cases under central monitoring, so that the real status of every case is known and acted on. The state must also support and rehabilitate the families of victims. Overall, it must show greater sincerity in dealing with such cases so that mob violence doesn't recur.
Comments