Incidents of mob attacks on individuals or a group suspecting them either thief or child lifters are being reported almost daily from several parts of the state raising serious concern. The situation has taken almost a mass hysteria and may result in seriously unfortunate fall out if the authorities concerned and administration do not take immediate steps to address the emerging problem.
While only recently one mentally deranged person was lynched at Jirania area one more mentally challenged woman was severely beaten up at Rajarbag area in Udaipur. She was suspected to be child lifter despite the fact there was report of any child going missing in the state. Police rushed to the spot and rescued the woman. In Agartala in the recent past several incidents of assaults and thrashing of people for being suspected as thief took place and there was no report of any arrest as there was also no confirmation that the victim was indeed a thief.
Earlier, locals of Shantirbazar railway stations rounded up three persons suspecting them child lifters. When police took them to their custody and questioned it was found that one of the three – a resident of Dharmanagar – worked at Baikhora as a mason. He along with two of his friends – both dwellers of Assam – came to collect pending money from one of his clients on Saturday. When they were found to be innocent police helped them board the Agartala bound train.
It may be mentioned here that in the recent years there were several lynching incidents on the same –child lifting or theft issues.
As the rumour mongers were getting field day such individuals—vagabonds, beggers, rag pickers, mentally challenged are becoming increasingly vulnerable for mob attacks—even causing deaths.
