NEW DEHLI: The Indian government has introduced capital punishments for mob lynchings and crimes against women in a bill presented to the Parliament, reported Western media on Friday.
The bill which aims to replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), included a specific provision for punishment ranging from seven years in jail to the death penalty for the convicts of mob lynching and gang rapes.
The British crown introduced India’s Penal Code and other police laws in the 19th century.
Indian home minister Amit Shah told the Parliament that due to continued incidents of mob lynching in India, punishments of seven years, life imprisonment, or even the death penalty have been introduced for those found guilty of such crimes.
Under the new law gang rape convicts could get a life sentence while raping a child would be eligible for a death sentence.
Aang rape convicts to get a death penalty in India
The bill also proposed community service provisions for small crimes to lessen the burden on courts.
The Indian government came under heavy criticism from the public when a video of two women stripped and paraded naked by a mob in the northeastern state of Manipur surfaced on social media last month.
Since May 3, the northern state of India, Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes between the majority Meitei and Kuki communities. At least 182 people, including 62 Meiteis and 113 Kukis, have lost their lives and about 60,000 have been dislocated.
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi has been criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over its handling of deadly violence that continued for more than three months in Manipur.
