The ‘self-proclaimed law-keepers ‘ – a curse to society.

• Image Credit: Internet

• Nov 30, 2021 | Sourav Boruah

The fear of law & order from the empty heads is long gone; they lost the ability to think for once before wreaking havoc on the innocent and unassuming citizens. Engulfed with a hollow pride and a sense of ‘satanic head’, they leave behind them a trail of crimson red. Is it what protecting ‘cultural dignity’ means?

The Act of vandalism and hooliganism by the hoodlums is a common phenomenon. A very recent sorrowful event supports this statement.

On a bright Monday afternoon, the roads of Jorhat town witnessed a shady act. A disturbing video of a 23-year-old youth who was beaten to death by around 50 people surfaced on social media. The deceased was later identified as AASU leader  Animesh Bhuyan and his partner Mridusmanta Baruah who somehow managed to run for his life from the grip of the ‘ satanic heads’.

This isn’t for the first time nor do we want to believe it’s the last. Three innocent lives were lost in three consecutive years. The pride that Jorhatians carried in their hearts to belong from the ‘City of Knowledge’ was crushed again.

In the year 2019, a 73-year-old doctor serving as a medical officer at the Teok Garden in upper Assam’s Jorhat district was lynched on an unfortunate evening. A mob accused the hospital, where Dr. Deben Dutta was working, of negligence resulting in the death of a plantation worker. A 74-second video depicts the brutal nature of the assault.

Later in the year 2020, another youth was laid down by a horrific death. ‘Mobocracy’s brutish act claimed one more victim, Debashish Gogoi, a 22-year-old B.Sc final semester student who was beaten up at Gabharu Parbat locality near Mariani in Jorhat district. Debasish succumbed to his injuries, which set a sense of fear and grief among the people of the state. The incident which killed a young man is termed as ‘accident’ – while returning home his vehicle skid, hitting two women. Both the women were plantation workers. Moments after this happened, tea garden workers reached the spot and thrashed him without pity. A young life was laid down to an untimely death by ‘demons of the blind society’ once again.

Again giving way to the burning question as to how far can one ignore the law and take it in their own hands, just to satisfy their personal vendetta in the name of protecting a certain sentiment?

Sometimes even when the government tries to take a new step with a revolutionary idea to bring a change in the society it ends up being washed down to an excuse to harass and coerce the innocent by the ‘ satanic heads’.

 Special training of police officials plays a vital role in regulating such activities in society. If designated officials who are responsible for keeping a check over state's law and order are unaware of ‘the law of the land’ then how can we expect them to help the common citizen in the state of such an event where they are being harassed by vigilantes?

It only opens the gates for the hypocrites of the 21st century to barge in and beat you black and blue without any qualms or regret of the violation of your own privacy or the very basic human rights.

Another silent rally or wearing a black ribbon on your shoulder won't save another victim from the Mobocracy, won't save you from the ‘ satanic heads’, the need of the hour is the enforcement of a strict law which can tear through the flesh of the ‘ empty heads’ and fear them to the bones before committing such heinous crimes ones again.