Hooliganism in the Name of Cow Vigilantism – Is It Justified?
||Black and White Digital News ||
||Parvinder Singh July 09,2024 ||
Kathua: Advocate Appu Singh, State Spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party in Jammu and Kashmir, today submitted a representation to the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua. Accompanied by the family of the victim, Mr. Ramesh Kumar, and supporters, Singh sought justice for Kumar, who was brutally attacked under the guise of cow vigilantism.
On July 2, 2024, local media in Kathua circulated a distressing video showing Mr. Ramesh Kumar, a member of the Scheduled Caste community, being mercilessly beaten by a group of individuals. Despite Kumar’s pleas for mercy, his assailants showed no relent.
Victim’s Account: Advocate Singh met Kumar, who is currently receiving treatment for severe injuries at District Hospital, Kathua. Kumar, a driver by profession, provided a detailed account of the attack. He stated that the police had registered FIR No. 0205/2024 against his attackers, but it lacked several crucial details he had shared.
Advocate Singh’s Demands
In her representation, Singh highlighted several key points:
Incomplete FIR: The FIR registered by the police was incomplete and did not incorporate all allegations made by the victim. Singh called for a supplementary statement to be recorded and the correct sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita 2023 to be applied.
Caste-Based Atrocity: The attackers asked Kumar his name and caste before assaulting him, subjecting him to caste-based abuse and violence. Despite this, sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, were not included in the FIR. Singh demanded these be added immediately.
Social Media Video: The video of the assault is still circulating on social media, causing significant mental distress to the victim and his family. Singh requested the immediate removal of the video from all platforms to prevent further unrest and social division.
Call for Justice: Singh quoted a landmark Supreme Court judgment (Tehseen S. Poonawala v. Union of India) to emphasize that no individual or group has the right to take the law into their hands. She urged the authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, ensuring justice for Kumar and setting a precedent against such acts of violence.
Official Assurance: The Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police assured the family that the matter would be addressed empathetically. Prominent local figures, including SK Bhandari, Sunita Devi, Radha Rani, and Omkar Mehra, supported the family during the representation.
The brutal attack on Mr. Ramesh Kumar under the pretext of cow vigilantism raises serious questions about the misuse of vigilantism to perpetrate caste-based violence. Advocate Singh’s representation underscores the need for a robust legal response and societal condemnation of such acts to uphold the rule of law and ensure justice for the victim.
