UP gears up to tackle mob lynching with 'Special Task Force'

LUCKNOW: Director general of police (DGP), UP has directed all district police chiefs to appoint a nodal officer and special task force in every district to check incidents of mob violence and lynching. The nodal officer would be further assisted by a deputy superintendent of police rank official.

Directions have also been issued to ensure that such incidents are attended promptly and stringent action is initiated against the accused under the appropriate provisions of law. Apart from keeping a tab on rumours spread through various social media platforms, police have also been directed to reach out to the victims of such incidents and their families.

The directions were issued on the orders given by the Ministry of Home affairs (MHA), to the home department in the state. Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the law enforcement agencies to check the spread of events of mob violence and mob killings and investigate such cases properly.

As per the scheme, the nodal officer will identify such towns, villages and localities where events of mob violence and lynching have taken place in the last five years. All these events are to be archived in a uniform format at all police stations of the district and all SHOs of police stations, who are in control of these areas, are instructed to maintain extra vigil.

These officers would also ensure legal actions in cases where a particular community, caste or person is targeted and to do everything in their capacity to mitigate hatred against the Victims & their family members.