Nawada lynching sparks outrage, activists demand justice and accountability

By A Representative

A group of activists, eminent Gandhians and people’s organisations has strongly condemned the alleged lynching of 40-year-old cloth hawker Mohammad Athar Hussain in Nawada district of Bihar, describing the incident as a chilling reminder of the collapse of the rule of law and the dangerous normalisation of hate-driven violence in the country.

According to the statement jointly issued by the signatories, Athar Hussain, a feriwaala and the sole breadwinner of his family, was allegedly attacked by a group of assailants after being questioned about his religion. In a video recorded before his death, he reportedly stated that the attackers asked his name, stripped him to verify his religious identity, crushed his fingers with pliers, cut his ears, dragged him brutally, burnt him with hot iron rods and poured petrol on his body. He later succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in hospital.

The signatories said the incident cannot be dismissed as an accidental crime but appears to be a planned, inhuman and barbaric act of mob lynching. They argued that such crimes, along with similar incidents in recent years, openly mock law enforcement agencies and expose their failure to uphold constitutional safeguards guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. The continued occurrence of such violence, they warned, poses a serious challenge to the credibility and very existence of institutions meant to protect citizens.

The statement linked the brutality to hate-filled politics, venomous prime-time debates and the glorification of violence. It pointed out that despite Supreme Court guidelines on lynching and hate speech issued years ago, authorities have shown little seriousness in implementing them, amounting to repeated contempt of court. The signatories also expressed concern over instances where governments have sought withdrawal of cases against those accused in hate crimes, citing the Akhlaq lynching case as an example.

Raising broader constitutional concerns, the statement questioned whether the failure to take suo motu cognisance of recurring hate-based violence targeting religious, caste, linguistic, regional and gender identities amounts to a grave neglect of citizens’ rights. Such failures, it said, undermine the constitutional promises of justice, liberty and equality, and weaken efforts to promote unity and integrity of the nation.

Calling the Nawada incident deeply disturbing, worrying and shameful, the signatories stressed that condemnation alone is insufficient without concrete assurance and delivery of justice. They demanded that the case be tried in a fast-track court, that the accused receive the harshest punishment, and that the victim’s family be provided safety, a government job for one family member, educational support for the children up to college level, and a minimum compensation of ₹1 crore.

The statement further appealed for suo motu cognisance of unchecked hate speech and violence, strict regulation of hate speeches, hate-promoting films and media channels, and accountability for officials found negligent. It urged that state and central governments be summoned to report on compliance with Supreme Court directives on lynching and hate speech, and that status reports be sought from states on justice and compensation provided to victims of hate crimes over the past decade. Organisations identified as spreading violence and hatred, the signatories said, should be banned.

The statement has been jointly issued by a wide range of activists, eminent citizens and organisations from across the country.