Kolkata: While widespread protests are going on across the country over the series of mob lynchings reported recently, a fresh similar incident was reported from West Bengal's Bhangar. On suspicion of theft, a 50-year-old man, identified as Asghar Molla of Fulbari, was killed by a mob here, just 500 metres away from the area police station.
There were allegations that the dead body remained on the road for hours, and the local police paid no attention. At first, the locals thought that he was drunk. But he was dead by the time he reached the hospital. According to locals, a night vigil was imposed in the area following a theft in Bhangar Bazaar. It is believed that the murder took place in the morning.
Recently, there were 12 mob violence cases registered in West Bengal. However, a Trinamool Congress leader surfaced with the allegation that a bill had been prepared for a law against mob violence, but the Governor had yet to sign it.
Mamata Banerjee's government had drafted a law against mob attacks and lynching and sent it to the Raj Bhavan for approval.
But the bill is with Governor CV Ananda Bose in the Raj Bhavan. TMC leader Joy Prakash Majumdar said that this bill remained for consideration by the Governor for the past five years.
He said that West Bengal is the first state in the country to pass a new law to take action against mob violence, and the Mamata government passed the law in the assembly in 2019. But five years after the bill was passed in the legislature, the law has not come into effect. He said this bill has been under the Governor's consideration for five years.
The bill passed in the assembly was sent for the Governor's assent to then-Governor Jagdeep Dhankar. Even after Ananda Bose came, the bill remained pending.