2018 Karbi Anglong lynching

2018 Karbi Anglong lynching was a violent incident of mob lynching that took place in Karbi Anglong, Assam in India, on 8 June 2018. A mob of about 250 people attacked two men under suspicion of child trafficking and beat the two to death in a case of mistaken identity. [1]

The incident took place in the backdrop of widespread public rumours over rising child trafficking and the spate of killings known as the Indian WhatsApp lynchings.

2018 Karbi Anglong lynching
Location Panijuri, Karbi Anglong, Assam
Date June 8, 2018 (2018-06-08)
Attack type
 Lynching
Deaths 2
Victims Nilotpal Das and Abhijit Nath
Perpetrators 250 people
Accused 28 people

Incident

The incident happened when the two men stopped at Panijuri, a picturesque village in Diphu subdivision of the hill district. They went to the Kangthilangso waterfall[2] to click some pictures of the beautiful scenery of that place. While returning from the waterfall they stopped their vehicle to ask the villagers for directions as they were not able to identify the route due to the night time darkness. But instead their vehicle was attacked by a group of men at Panjuri Kachari village, 16 km from Dokmoka town, at around 8:42 pm. They dragged the accused out after which the two men were brutally hit by bamboo poles and wood, and tortured to death by a mob of 'inebriated' villagers.

Arrests

As of June 21, 2018, 36 people had been arrested.[3] The prime accused is Alphajoz Timung, arrested on June 12, 2018 after hiding out in the district for several days.[4] He had been involved in an earlier lynching of a motorcycle mechanic, Mithu Das, in the same district.[5]

Fake news

Fake news spread via WhatsApp have been named as the cause of these two lynchings.[6][7] The rumors said that child lifters were in the area.

References

  1. ↑ Sarat Sarma and Sumir Karmakar (2018-06-10). "Duo lynched in Karbi Anglong". The Telegraph (India).
  2. ↑ Rahul Karmakar (2018-06-14). "Assam lynching: woman recounts sister's phone talk with 'killer' of fiancé". The Hindu.
  3. ↑ "Asaam lynching case: 36 arested so far". The Indian Express. 2018-06-21.
  4. ↑ Naqvi, Sadiq (13 June 2018). "Prime accused in Assam lynching arrested, 'made phone call about child abductors'". Hindustan Times.
  5. ↑ Kalita, Prabin (13 June 2018). "Assam lynching prime accused reveals it all". The Times of India.
  6. ↑ Jim Waterson (2018-06-17). "Fears mount over WhatsApp's role in spreading fake news". The Guardian.
  7. ↑ "Rumors Spread on Social Media Fuel Deadly India Mob Attacks". The New York Times. 2018-06-14.
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