Palghar horror: Rumour mongering must be dealt with swiftly, especially during Covid-19 lockdown

The horrific incident of mob lynching in Maharashtra’s Palghar where two sadhus and their driver were killed by villagers on suspicion of being thieves is not only a failure of law and order but also exemplifies policing challenges during the nationwide lockdown. The incident was fuelled by rumours that there were bandits on the prowl looking to take advantage of the lockdown. In fact, two days before the sadhus and their driver were attacked on April 16, a couple of doctors were assaulted and held hostage in an adjoining hamlet. Luckily the doctors were rescued by the police.

Following the lynching, the Maharashtra government has promised action and more than 110 accused have been arrested. Plus, a CID probe has been ordered and two policemen suspended. While rumours of thieves and child lifters are nothing new, they get accentuated in tense situations when social trust runs low. This is precisely what is happening in many parts of the country with even doctors and health workers being assaulted. The latest such assault was reported from Bengaluru when a team of health workers was trying to take contacts of Covid-positive patients to institutional quarantine. Add to this fake news and misinformation circulating on social media, and we are looking at a recipe for disaster.

For social isolation and lockdowns of this scale to work, policing needs to be highly efficient. People under stress need to be calmed while those in need of immediate attention need to be helped. But most of all, rumour mongering needs to be nipped in the bud and those responsible for spreading canards dealt with strictly. A certain section of politicians has been insinuating a communal angle to the Palghar incident. This is condemnable as it can seriously undermine the fight against Covid-19. Efficient policing is the only thing that stands in the way of Covid-19 fuelled chaos. It must not be compromised.