Rest in Peace Humanity: Youth Lynched On Suspicion of Moped Bike Theft!

Salma Shah *

The youth was asking for water when he breathed his last as seen in the video that went viral on social media. Even the birds and animals are fed when they are hungry and thirsty. Where has our humanity gone?

The incident that took place on Sept 13th in Tharoijam, patsoi district, Manipur is extremely heart - wrenching and disturbing. Bogimayum Farooque was lynched by a mob in Tharoijam – an abominable and an inhumane act!

Bogimayum Farooque @ Furkan (26yrs) was brutally beaten to death on suspicion of theft of a two-wheeler. Murdering a person for suspecting to be a thief? Even if someone is a thief, no one has the right to take someone’s life. Depriving the fundamental right-- right to live is unconstitutional. Article 21 reads as: “No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to a procedure established by law.”

Mob lynching and mob violence apparently have become an increasing trend in the state of Manipur. This is nothing but a sign of lawless and an anarchic state.

Was Bogimayum Farooque indeed a vehicle lifter or was the story fabricated? After some researches, it is established that the deceased reportedly hailed from a decent middle class family, completed MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Karnataka College of Management, owned a cafe named – Bamboo Café in Imphal. He also owned a four-wheeler.

An educated person running his own business and also owning a four-wheeler accused for stealing a moped bike is unpalatable. Twisting the story and presenting a fabricated story by accusing the deceased of being a thief is cheating and taking advantage.

As per the video, it is seen that Bogimayum Farooque, the deceased had been brutally beaten to death. What is more perturbing is the policemen watching the young man dying and so as the bystanders. After watching the video, it seems that the public and the policemen were waiting for the man to die.

The duty of policemen is to protect the public irrespective of caste, creed, religion, region, and colour. The policeman standing and watching the entire scenario without helping the dying youth is beyond my comprehension. Why did they come if no help was to be extended? What was the motive behind their apathetic attitude?

Yet another shocking scenario is the public just watching and not lending a helping hand to the dying person. None of them were seen or heard in the video to stop beating the deceased. Rather some of them were busy making videos. Public prefer to take pictures and videos rather than lending a helping hand to the victim.

Such trends can be seen across the globe. All thanks to social media! With the advent of social media, people are more keen to film an incident, take pictures and share them on social media rather than helping the victim.

More bewildering is the reaction of the locals of the Tharoijam neighbourhood. According to a report in Naga journal, the locals of Tharoijam leikai stormed the police station demanding unconditional release of the six arrested people by the police.

The officer-in-charge of the police station was also mob attacked. Even the law enforcing agency is not spared. Rather than feeling sorry for the brutal murder of the youth, they were reportedly demanding the release of the alleged culprits. What happen to the locals of Tharoijam Leikai? Have they lost their sanity? Boastful chest-thumping instead of being penitent!

Apparently, mob lynching, mob violence mostly happen in the remote area of the state of Manipur where education level is low, ignorance of law and order. The reason behind people taking law in their hands is perhaps the time consuming court proceedings and the diminishing faith in the justice system.

There have been several instances in the past pertaining to mob violence and mob lynching in Manipur. Recently, in July end, 2018 two doctors were reportedly beaten up mercilessly in Thoubal district of Manipur on the charge that a child had died owing to their negligence. There were no any researches on the ground reality and no any fact checking was done; mob attacked the two doctors.

In the year 2016, two boys identified as Md. Farooque, (16yrs) and Md Saddam, (14yrs) both from Lilong Turel Ahanbi were reportedly lynched allegedly for trying to steal a bike. They were reportedly lynched based on suspicion without any evidence.

The increasing mob violence in the state is evident that such barbaric activities have become a form of mob justice. Perhaps perpetrators of the crime perceive it as a device to render quick justice.

No matter what, whether the victim is right or wrong, taking law in one's hand is condemnable and the culprits should be punished. Stringent action must be taken against such criminals. Such barbaric acts are a threat to the society – if not taken necessary action would bolster the confidence of these criminals and indulge into such beastly and inhumane act.

An earnest appeal to the law enforcing agency, concerned authority to take strict action on such inhumane acts before it becomes a menace!

#condemn mob lynching # stop mob violence # justice for Farooque