The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered Assam and four other states to file detailed responses to a PIL filed by the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), which raises urgent concerns over an alarming rise in incidents of lynching and mob violence, especially by self-styled cow vigilantes.

The bench, led by Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan, has set a strict four-week deadline for the states to submit their counter-affidavits. The court warned that if the states fail to respond by the next hearing date, Chief Secretaries may be summoned to appear in person to explain the delay, with potential legal consequences.

The Registrar (Judicial) has been instructed to ensure timely communication of the order to the Chief Secretaries.

The PIL, filed by the NFIW, appeals to the court for an enforcement of preventive measures and guidelines established in the 2018 Tehseen Poonawalla judgment. This landmark decision had laid out a comprehensive framework for combating lynching and mob violence, emphasizing that states have an unequivocal duty to protect citizens from such acts.

The NFIW’s petition recounts several recent lynching incidents targeting minorities. Among these are cases in Bihar and Maharashtra, where Muslim men were reportedly attacked by mobs on suspicion of beef smuggling.

Other incidents cited include an assault by Bajrang Dal members on a Muslim man for transporting cows, a violent incident involving two Muslim men in Bhubaneswar, and an attack on a bus carrying Hajj pilgrims in Kota, Rajasthan.

The petition underscores that state authorities have consistently failed to take preventive measures or hold perpetrators accountable, despite the Supreme Court’s directives. The NFIW claims that the rise in mob violence has been fueled by propaganda against minorities, often spread via social media, public events, news outlets, and even films.

According to the organization, these platforms have heightened communal tensions, fueling the rise of mob vigilantism.

In addition to enforcing the Tehseen Poonawalla guidelines, the NFIW has requested the court to mandate interim compensation for lynching victims or their families. The organization argues that prompt financial relief could help alleviate the victims’ suffering and ensure a degree of accountability.

The Tehseen Poonawalla judgment directed both state and central governments to take urgent, proactive steps against mob violence. These measures include timely arrests, adequate victim compensation, and initiatives to address the role of social media in spreading hate.

The Supreme Court’s intervention underscores a significant legal push to address and curb the rising tide of mob violence across the nation, reiterating its stance that protecting citizens from vigilantism is an essential duty of the state.