Dimapur: Even as both Assam and Nagaland remain tense over the lynching of an alleged rapist by a mob in Dimapur, Amnesty International India on Saturday said the case must be investigated and those who lynched the man must be brought to justice urgently.
A mob of thousands dragged the man out of Dimapur Central Jail, paraded him naked before lynching him on Thursday. Even though eight companies of security forces were present, they failed to prevent the mob from carrying out vigilante justice.
Prohibitory orders continue in Dimapur for the second day on Saturday and stone pelting was also reported in Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang admitted to administrative lapses and said relaxing Section 144 in the area was a mistake. "We have instituted an inuiry into what happened. Any officer found guilty in the case will be punished. I agree that relaxing Section 144 in the area was a mistake. As of now situation on the ground is under control," Zeliang said.
Sources said the rape was alleged by a 25-year-old woman and not a minor as reported by local media in Nagaland. Police say prima facie no rape can be established as the medical examination remained inconclusive. Sources added that the mob which dragged the man out of jail and lynched him numbered 7,000-8,000.
The lynching victim, Syed Farid Khan, is believed to be a resident of Assam and not an immigrant from Bangladesh as claimed by Naga organisations. Infuriated by the alleged rape, the mob had forced its way into the Central jail on Thursday, pulled Khan out of the prison, paraded him naked before lynching him. Khan was arrested on February 25 following the rape allegation.
On Friday, the government suspended Dimapur District Collector and the Superintendent of Police in connection with the case.
Here is the full statement of Amnesty International India:
Members of a mob who lynched a man suspected of rape in Dimapur, Nagaland must be brought to justice urgently, Amnesty International India said today.
Syed Farid Khan had been arrested on suspicion of raping a woman in Dimapur on 24 February. He was arrested on 25 February and remanded in judicial custody in the Dimapur central jail. On 5 March, according to local police, a mob of thousands broke into the jail and dragged him out. He was then stripped naked, beaten, pelted with stones, and taken towards the centre of Dimapur town, seven kilometres away. Syed Farid Khan died from his injuries along the way. The mob then dragged his body to a clock tower and displayed it.
"This is a serious lapse in the criminal justice system," said Shemeer Babu, Programmes Director at Amnesty International India. "The Nagaland government must ensure that every person who was part of the mob is brought to justice. Failure to do so will send the message that anyone can commit outrageous abuses and attempt to justify them as an expression of public anger."
Police officials told journalists that they did not at first use force against the crowd because they wanted to avoid casualties. The police eventually opened fire to disperse the crowd, leading to the death of one person. The state government has suspended three senior police officials, including the chief of the Dimapur central jail, and ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.
"Nagaland authorities must uphold the rule of law. Violence against women needs to be tackled with swift and effective responses from the state, not with barbarism by self-appointed vigilantes," said Shemeer Babu.
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