Why in news?
In recent times there is an increasing number of lynching incidents by mobs in Tamil Nadu.
What are the recent incidents by mobs?
- Mobs are amorphous units that confer anonymity on perpetrators, and emboldening them on the spur of the moment to collectively commit vile acts without a sense of individual guilt.
- Recently an old man, a women and a North Indian has been killed due to lynching by the mobs in Tamil Nadu.
What are the reasons for such incidents?
- The incidents of lynching in parts of Tamil Nadu are unrelated except for the mindless violence and brutality.
- Various reasons stated by the mobs who attack individuals including suspicion of strangers who might kidnap children and a general feeling of insecurity.
- These incidents are due to harsh xenophobic messages spread through social media warning north Indians as child kidnappers in Tamil Nadu.
What measures should be taken by the state government?
- The State police should issue strict warnings that forwarding such messages won’t be tolerated and action would be taken on those found to circulate these messages.
- The IT wing of the state government has to analyse such incidents to understand the underlying anxieties of the people.
- Steps must be taken to ensure that people feel secure about their safety and especially their children’s safety.
- Counter-information campaign needs to be publicly broadcast and confidence has to be fostered so that residents freely approach the authorities to verify the messages or seek protection.
Source: The Hindu
