In the face of a series of lynching cases in the recent days, a worried state government today ordered the police to step up vigil and take appropriate steps, according to provisions entailed in 2019 anti-lynching law that was passed in the state Assembly. The government also announced a compensation to the next of kin of the lynching victims.

The bill is yet to get Governor’s assent.

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Announcing this Alapan Bandyopadhyay, chief adviser to the chief minister told news persons at Nabanna today that in view of the some “unprecedented and untoward” incidents in the state, the government has asked police to step up vigil and take appropriate steps against those taking law into their own hands.

The state government also decided that one member of the victims’ family would be entitled to get a job of home guard and a compensation of Rs 2 lakh.

Meanwhile, the Speaker, Biman Banerjee today upped the ante against the Governor on the issue of giving assent to the anti-lynching Bill that was passed in the Assembly in 2019 but awaiting the assent of the Governor.

“The Bill, which was passed in the Assembly on 30 August, 2019 and had been sent to the Governor for his assent on 3rd September, 2019. It has stringent provisions like death sentence in case of death of the victim, but unfortunately the Bill did not get the Governor’s assent. Had this been a law, then it could have been a real deterrent against the crime,” said the Speaker.