Maharashtra set to amend law to give relief to victims of mob violence

“The proposal has been sent to the law and judiciary department for a final ratification and the notification on the amended provisions should be issued within a week,” the official added.

Sources said the compensation amount would be as per the 2014 scheme, under which the state extends a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each in the event of death and permanent disability (80 per cent or more) and Rs 1 lakh in case of partial disability (40 per cent or more). “There won’t be any revision as far as the compensation amounts are concerned. The amended provisions will make it explicitly clear of the compensation to be awarded to the victims,” the official said.

When contacted, Principal Secretary (Special), home department, Amitabh Gupta, said: “We have initiated the process and soon, the scheme would be amended as per the directives of the Supreme Court.”

On Thursday, the state home department issued a circular reiterating the guidelines issued by the government on August 13 in accordance with the SC directives. According to the guidelines, all district SPs and city police chiefs have been appointed as nodal officers and deputy SPs as deputy nodal officers. They have been asked to set up a task force to take measures to prevent mob violence and lynching. The task force will gather intelligence reports on people likely to commit such crimes or involved in spreading hate speeches, provocative statements and fake news, the guidelines stated.
The guidelines also mention that the station house officer is required to immediately intimate the nodal officer in the district who shall, in turn, ensure that there is no further harassment of the family members of the victim(s). The investigation in such offences shall be personally monitored by the nodal officer.

“While the SC guidelines were passed while dealing with a batch of petitions filed by Congress activist Tehseen Poonawala and others seeking directions to combat the menace of self-appointed vigilante squads lynching people in the name of cow protection, the state has witnessed 14 cases of mob violence and nine deaths. Therefore, the guidelines have been framed and the SPs and city police chiefs have been asked to adhere to the same,” said an official.