Actor Farhan Akhtar expresses anguish over Dadri lynching

Mumbai, Oct 3: Outraged over the lynching incident in Dadri, actor Farhan Akhtar today said the guilty should get strict punishment to send a strong message that such "kangaroo justice" will not be allowed.

In an emotionally-charged post on Facebook, the filmmaker-actor also decried the political "circus" over the killing of a 50-year-old man by a mob in his village after rumours that he and his family had consumed beef.

"They (culprits) should be given the harshest punishment to send a message out that this sort of kangaroo justice will not be allowed in our nation," Farhan wrote.

The actor feared that the guilty may never be brought to book.

"It's the aftermath with the routine insensitive quotes from politics leaders, some blatantly blaming the victims eating habits, others sheltering the accused, that have already started creating the blueprint for what is to follow. We've seen it before. Do we want to see it again?

"This is going to turn into a circus with all the usual suspects having a go at each other, trying to score PR points.

"The police sprung into action and have sent the meat from the dead victims house for Forensics!!! Need one say more about how twisted this is beginning to get," Farhan said.

Farhan said he feared that "what has happened once can surely happen again", unless people unite and demand immediate action.

"The point of this post is that another thing will be routine. The silence of the peace loving citizen. But this is not the time to remain silent.

"During this week, another Gandhi Jayanti has passed us by. I know one family in UP that must wonder what happened to the principles that he built this nation on.... His memory has been completely dishonoured."

PTI