Mob Lynching: Uttar Pradesh law panel pushes for special legislation, punishment up to life term
Lucknow: Taking cognisance of incidents of mob lynching, including those by cow vigilantes, the Uttar Pradesh Law Commission has submitted a draft Bill recommending up to life imprisonment for the crime.
Commission chairman Justice (retd) A N Mittal submitted a report on mob lynching, along with the draft Bill, to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday.
The 128-page report cited various cases of lynching in the state and recommended the immediate enactment of a law as per recommendations made by the Supreme Court in 2018.
The commission said the existing laws to combat lynchings were not sufficient and asserted that there should be a separate law to tackle them.
It suggested a punishment ranging from seven years in jail to life imprisonment for the offence.
Suggesting that such a law may be called the Uttar Pradesh Combating of Mob Lynching Act, the commission specified the responsibilities of police officers and district magistrates, spelling out the punishment for failing in their duty.
The panel said the law should also provide for compensation to the family of the victim for grievous injury or loss of loss of life and property.
There should also be provisions for the rehabilitation of the victims and their families, it said. As per the available data from 2012 to 2019, 50 incidents of mob violence have taken place in the state.
Of around 50 victims, 11 died. Twenty-five of these were cases of major assault, including those by cow vigilantes.
"In the backdrop of this situation, the commission took up the study suo motu and accordingly recommended the state government the need for having a comprehensive law to combat lynching," law commission secretary Sapna Tripathi told PTI Thursday.
The report said only Manipur has made a special law against lynchings and, as per media reports, the Madhya Pradesh government is soon going to enact it.
It referred to various cases of lynching and mob violence in the state, including the 2015 killing of Mohammed Akhlaq in Dadri on the suspicion of beef consumption.
It mentioned the killing of Inspector Subodh Singh on December 3, 2018, in a clash between police and Hindutva groups in Bulandshahr after cattle carcasses were found in a field.
The chairman noted that mobs were now turning on police as well.
"Incidents of mob violence have taken place in districts of Farukkhabad, Unnao, Kanpur, Hapur and Muzaffarnagar. Police are also becoming victims as people have started thinking of them as their enemy," Mittal said in the report.
"The killing of a head constable in Ghazipur and a jail warden are examples of this," he said.
The panel studied laws of different countries and states, and decisions of the Supreme Court while preparing the draft legislation. It suggested punishment for conspiracy, aid or abetment in such cases, as well as for obstructing the legal process.
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Mission operations key to space success: ISRO chief Narayanan
Bengaluru, Apr 8 (PTI): ISRO Chairman V Narayanan on Wednesday highlighted the importance of mission operations in ensuring success, calling it key to India’s expanding space programme.
He was addressing a gathering of scientists, industry experts, and students at the three-day international conference on Spacecraft Mission Operations (SMOPS-2026), themed 'Innovative Operations for Smart and Sustainable Space Mission Management–Next Generation'.
"Mission operations are crucial, especially for long-duration ones. This is an important domain," Narayanan said.
Welcoming delegates from leading global space agencies, including Roscosmos, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the French space agency, Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES), the ISRO chief said the conference marked a significant milestone, as it brought together international expertise, startups, and the broader space ecosystem on a common platform.
"This is not just another conference—it is quite a major global gathering with participation from many countries, experts, startups, and ecosystem partners," he said.
Narayanan pointed to the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, noting that the "historic landing" near the Moon’s south pole was the outcome of sustained teamwork and operational precision.
He credited the leadership and continuous involvement of senior scientists in mission control, saying their contribution remained indispensable during key phases.
The ISRO chief also recalled the challenges faced after the Chandrayaan-2 mission and said the subsequent success demonstrated India’s technological resilience.
"After the partial setback of Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3 had to be perfect," he said, adding that the achievement had earned global recognition.
Tracing the evolution of India’s space programme since its inception in 1962, Narayanan said the country has accomplished a wide spectrum of missions spanning launch vehicles, scientific exploration, and satellite operations.
He added that while rockets operate for a brief duration, spacecraft require continuous monitoring and control over several years.
"While a rocket functions only for about 15 to 25 minutes, it must generate tremendous energy to place the spacecraft into orbit. However, the spacecraft itself must operate for years—sometimes from two to 15 years," he said.
The ISRO chairman said even minor errors in command execution could jeopardise an entire mission, and commended engineers, software teams, and planners for their role in sustaining mission health.
Narayanan stressed the importance of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud-based systems in transforming mission operations.
He also cited key milestones achieved since the previous conference, including space docking experiments, the Chandrayaan-3 mission, and the Aditya-L1 solar mission, noting that each required advanced operational strategies.
On human spaceflight, he described the Gaganyaan programme as a "defining step" for India’s ambitions.
He added that preparations were progressing towards the first uncrewed mission.
Speaking to reporters later, Narayanan reiterated the long-term nature of mission operations and its significance across mission lifecycles.
"A launch vehicle works only for about 20 to 25 minutes, but mission operations must continue for a long time," he added.
Narayanan explained that communication satellites require continuous monitoring for up to 15 years, while interplanetary missions demand sustained operational control over several months.
He said the SMOPS-2026 conference would focus extensively on advancements in this domain.
"Around 400-plus papers will be presented and discussed. This will be useful for the student community, startup companies, and engineers working in this field," the ISRO chief said.
Responding to queries on the Gaganyaan programme timeline, Narayanan said ISRO was proceeding in a phased manner.
"Before proceeding with the crewed mission, three uncrewed missions are planned. At present, we are working on the first uncrewed mission," he said.
Narayanan said further details would be announced at an appropriate time. On the challenges involved, he pointed to the complexities of developing human-rated systems and integrating numerous technologies.
"We have to human-rate the launch vehicle. There are also many new developments involved, such as the crew escape system, environmental control and life-support systems, and the interface between humans, machines, and software," he said.
Narayanan described the programme as a "coordinated national effort" involving multiple laboratories.
When asked about the procurement of critical systems, he said, "The process is underway."
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