Who did Palghar Lynching?

When Palghar Lynching took place, one of my known, under some influence or from WhatsApp University took inputs and posted a status (Asking Hindus to rise and defend themselves and questioned why Hindus are still waiting? for people to come at their doorsteps and kill them). That was pretty simple to comprehend that he was fed with fake-information about Muslims’ involvement in Palghar lynching.

When I asked him about the people who did Palghar lynching as per his status, he forwarded me a list of around 5-6 incidents where Muslims have allegedly done some or the other crimes (Which cannot be justified on any grounds) asserting that he was talking about these people in the status.

I was astonished to see, when the police and other agencies have not even unveiled anything except the detention of some 100 people (at that time), how confidently he was targeting a community and blaming them for the incident and most importantly, inciting the sentiments of the people of his community.

Today, when Maharashtra Home Minister, Anil Deshmukh released the FIR copy and rejected the claims of social media and a section of mainstream media which tried to give it a communal colour, I forwarded Deshmukh's story to him. Though, he felt sorry for posting that status but the amount of damage his social media status would have done cannot be undone. Later he even tried to defend his status with some irrelevant things. The saddest part is, he is just 20 years old.

Through this post, I am requesting everyone not to write anything on social media without confirmation. Leave your prejudice aside, start reading as much as you can, cross-check facts 100 times, you never know how much destruction a single message can do. Media reports have claimed that Palghar lynching was the outcome of a rumour about the victims being thief or child-lifter.

The mob would have received a similar text as he posted one on his social media and thousands of similar messages which ultimately turned the mob into killers.

Be it a Palghar Lynching or any such incident we all are equally responsible for such killings, due to our prejudice and hatred for a person/group/community.