Back in the 1980s, there was a ubiquitous topic for aspiring journalists in West Bengal to write about: witch-hunting. These incidents happened mostly in rural Bengal and were too frequent to ignore. Women, mostly widows, were branded as witches and brutally killed by mobs of seemingly sane villagers. Why? The short answer, usually, was money. A widow’s inheritance of her husband’s wealth and land incited resentment from his family. By spreading rumours of promiscuity and witchcraft—allegedly causing children’s illnesses—they would turn the village against the woman. The tragic result: she would be thrashed, set ablaze, or stoned to death.
Men, too, fell victim to lynch mobs for various perceived transgressions. Most commonly, they were accused of theft or engaging in extramarital affairs, particularly when the woman’s legal partner held greater political, social, or economic power.
Four decades later, little has changed in West Bengal.
Last week, the state seemed to have dived back to its medieval past with a vengeance, witnessing, thanks to viral videos, some of the most merciless violence against women suspected of adultery. At least one woman reportedly died by suicide due to public humiliation, while another likely narrowly escaped death. Men were not spared either; they were beaten for fictitious reasons, with at least one fatality reported.
If there is any distinction between the lynch mobs of the past and those of today, it lies in their motives, particularly when the victim is a woman. Previously, especially in cases of ‘witch-hunting’, the motive was straightforward: money. No patriarchal family wanted to relinquish control over assets a widow inherited from her husband. But now, the motive has metamorphosed into a determination to attack and suppress a woman’s exercise of choice. It could be any kind of choice: what politics she wants to do, who she wants to live with, how she wants to dress, or what she wants to do with her life.
For male victims, sadly, the motive remains the same: suspicion of theft.
The following list of lynch mob incidents from 22 June to 4 July underscores the gravity of the situation. Incidents are listed chronologically. The list is not comprehensive.
1. Two youth thrashed at Jamboni in Jhargram district on suspicion of being thieves. Incident on 22 June. One youth died on 30 June. Another still critical.
2. A Muslim woman, BJP supporter, allegedly thrashed by TMC men in Cooch Behar district. Police claim the problem was a family dispute. Woman says there is a political problem. Incident: 25 June
3. Woman tried in kangaroo court for adultery dies after drinking poison at Phulbari, Jalpaiguri district. Incident: 29 June
5. Woman and man thrashed for adultery by goon with TMC links at Chopra, North Dinajpur district. Kangaroo court on 28 June, thrashing on 29 June, video goes viral on 30 June.
6. Couple thrashed for adultery by same TMC goon surfaces – location and date unknown.
7. Motorcyclist at Pandua, Hooghly, crashes into the back of another motorbike, is thrashed, dies. Incident: 27 June. Death: 29 June.
8. Man beaten to death at Tarakeswar, Hooghly, for allegedly failing to pay back a loan of Rs 50,000. Incident: 1 July.
9. Man suspected to be mobile thief lynched by students at a hostel in central Kolkata on 28 June
10. Man suspected to be mobile thief lynched at upmarket township of Salt Lake in Kolkata on 29 June
11. Mob attacks woman and son at Ariadaha, North 24 Parganas district. Mob led by goon with TMC links. Incident: 30 June. TMC goon surrendered on 4 July.
12. Cops save man from being lynched on suspicion of mobile theft near NRS Hospital, Kolkata on 3 July.
Social scientists have long analysed Bengal’s lynch mob mentality. Explanations range from mounting social unrest and disharmony to a loss of faith in law enforcement: when people perceive a breakdown in the justice system, they are more likely to take the law into their own hands. And then there always have been, and continue to be, contributing factors such as patriarchy and misogyny. What Bengal is now witnessing is political patronage of this lynch mob mentality, coupled with a glaring lack of political will to stop it.
As of the latest reports, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has not said a word in condemnation of the Chopra incident or any other instances of mob violence. The Trinamool Congress MLA from Chopra received a mere slap on the wrist, and the perpetrator of the horrific video showing a couple being beaten—a TMC goon—has been arrested.
That’s all.
The Mamata Banerjee government passed a Bill on mob lynching in 2020, but it has since languished with the governor, ostensibly due to the continuous hostility between these two constitutional authorities.
However, a moot question remains: can a mere law stop a mob?
Also, does education make a difference? As a journalist in Kolkata, I covered my share of lynch mob incidents. A particularly horrific case involved a young tribal girl in a relationship with a man of another caste or tribe. She was excommunicated, but the village didn’t stop at that. They stripped her and made her walk naked for 10 km, stoning her, assaulting her and abusing her. And filming her. The videos surfaced in August 2010 and shocked the world.
That was in rural Birbhum. Four years later, in the heart of Kolkata, at a hostel for medical students on the campus of the NRS Medical College, a 30-year-old man was caught inside the building, tied to a pillar, and beaten so badly he died. Why? The educated students—would-be doctors—suspected him of trying to steal a mobile phone.
It’s impossible to sign off on this issue without mentioning a third party that is always present in cases of mob lynchings. Besides the perpetrators and victims, there are always the placid observers—people like you and me—who stand by and watch a woman being beaten or a man killed for some imagined crime without lifting a finger, except to join in the macabre dance of death. One person in the Chopra lynching crowd was jumping to get a better look; others had their cameras out. We don’t call the police. We film the violence. Who are we? What kind of society allows mobs to lynch with impunity. How do we sleep at night?
Monideepa Banerjie is a senior journalist based in Kolkata. She tweets @Monideepa62. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)