The Age Of Lynching

Incidents of fatal lynchings of people from minority communities is on the rise, even as the conviction rate for such crimes remains abysmal

- Zaina Azhar Sayeda

"IS a Muslim life worth anything?" asks a grimfaced Mohammed Naeem, sitting unnaturally still on the edge of the wooden charpai in his Nanpara home in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh.

His brother Mohammed Ateeq's life he says, was only worth a 20-rupee paan which was why a group of five to six men lynched him 35km from Nanpara. "My brother didn't know them, had no enmity with them, he wasn't even the one to fight or instigate anyone," said Naeem.

Ateeq was one of many killed because of his identity, his family alleges.

Lynchings have surged over the past decade. Those targeted have been predominantly Muslim, or other minorities and scheduled castes such as Dalits. While these acts are frequently described as spontaneous mob violence, there are those who argue that such violence is not merely a spontaneous expression of anger but, instead, is the result of systematic incitement by Hindu extremists.

Between June 7 and July 5, across India, 12 people died after being lynched, according to the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR.) Additionally, the Hate Crime Tracker (HCT) reported 72 confirmed incidents of hate crimes and hate speeches during the first quarter of 2024 (January-March.) HCT's report defines a hate crime as a criminal act committed against an individual or victim due to their race, religion, colour, national origin, sexual orientation, or other personal traits, motivated by hostility and prejudice. This includes mob violence, attacks on property, intimidation, physical assault, provocation, threats, and incitement to violence. For 66 per cent of the 72 cases, the alleged primary driver behind these incidents was the victims' religious identity.