Lynching of Muslim youth in Jharkhand ''blot on humanity'': Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi, June 25: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday described the mob lynching of a Muslim youth in Jharkhand as a "blot on humanity" and criticised the "silence" of powerful voices in the BJP-ruled Central and state governments.
"The brutal lynching of this young man by a mob in Jharkhand is a blot on humanity. The cruelty of the police who held this dying boy in custody for four days is shocking as is the silence of powerful voices in the BJP-ruled Central and state government," he tweeted.
Gandhi''s remarks came two days after Tabrez Ansari, 22, died in a hospital on Sunday, days after he was brutally thrashed by a mob at Dhatkidih village in Seraikela district on suspicion of stealing a bike.
According to the police, a stolen motorcycle and some other things were also recovered from him. The incident came to light after a video went viral in which a mob was seen beating up Ansari who was tied to a tree.
The police has arrested five people involved in the lynching of the youth while two policemen have also been suspended.
According to police sources, initially Ansari tried to save himself by calling himself "Sonu". However, he was forced to reveal his real name after the mob asked him to chant "Jai Sri Ram".
After the thrashing, the mob handed him over to the police, which took him to a police post. However, he had to be admitted to hospital after his condition worsened and he died at the hospital on Sunday.
Ansari''s wife has questioned the role of the police in her husband''s death alleging that he was not given timely medical treatment.
Seraikela Superintendent of Police S. Kartik met Ansari''s family and made the arrest based on his wife''s FIR.
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SC asks states to treat rising child trafficking cases as grave; seeks coordinated action
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court has voiced grave concern over rising cases of child trafficking, saying gangs are operating across the country and if States and Union territories do not take immediate action, thing will go beyond control.
The court said only the state government and its home department can act vigilantly in this regard.
“As a court we can monitor, but ultimately the action has to be on the part of the state government, the police, and other agencies. Therefore, this is our humble request”, a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan said during the hearing of a plea on Wednesday.
The bench was irked over the "lackadaisical" approach of several states and UTs in implementing a 2025 judgment aimed at dismantling organised trafficking networks.
Justice Viswanathan said the retrieval of children in some cases proves the problem can be tackled, but it requires a level of political and administrative will which is lacking at present.
The verdict, delivered on April 15, 2025, had mandated several institutional reforms, including completion of trials in trafficking cases within six months on a day-to-day basis.
It had also directed strengthening of Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) and improving investigation standards.
Besides asking for setting up of state-level committees to monitor vulnerable trafficking hotspots, it had asked the authorities to treat missing children cases as trafficking unless proven otherwise.
Earlier, the bench had termed the compliance reports filed by a few states as "nothing but an eye wash."
On Wednesday, the bench noted that Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Haryana, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Odisha, and Punjab had still failed to file reports in the prescribed format.
When the home secretary of Madhya Pradesh offered an apology for the lapse, the bench granted a "final opportunity" but warned that continued failure would lead to states being officially branded as "defaulting".
The bench noted that at least 15 states are yet to constitute review committees mandated to identify and monitor trafficking-prone areas.
The matter will now be heard on April 29.
