I don't think so. I can not forget how people reacted when the news of “two dacoits beaten to death” broke; everyone really appreciated the courage of the people who did so. Most of the people wondered at the bravery of the lot who actually murdered the two. No one – that is a lay man, a harmless citizen, you and I - does that. Of course, we want vengeance right after we are looted at a gun point but how many of the commoners do that? Then, try beating down anyone in front of the police. Men in uniform will jump in to stop you unless they already know you as someone backed by someone more authoritative then the police itself. Let’s face it. Street crimes are the reason why people would want to react. Those who do, die as a result. Hardly, a few survive.
Apart from all this, courage of torturing a robber, would you imagine yourself beating a robber to death? Or may be set him on fire? I know, if I get a chance, I might want to beat the hell out of a dacoit but I know I can torture someone to a limit. No matter how big the robbery is, a common man, who has no political or let’s say ‘ghunda’ support can do that. A person is used to doing or at least watching such tortures.
As far as the public watching the men being beaten down are concerned. Please consider these first and then blame them.
1. As I mentioned above, we all have urge to revenge the criminals. So, when a group of enraged people with batons and powerful blows in the protection of policemen are beating someone, will you try to stop what you see? Most of us would not because even if you try to jump in, the policemen will stop you. Then, honestly speaking when a group so brutal, is itself quite capable of keeping you away.
2. Why a mob of spectators? Usually, when you know that you can not talk to the infuriated party, you normally stop and wait for it to get over with everything. No one expects that the guilty will die at the spot! People stay, in normal conditions, to take the wounded either to the police or to the hospital.
Before putting the blame on to common people, we should also consider the things we see on our televisions. Fine, there is a video of the whole incident. A man of heart must have recorded the whole thing. But is it suitable to play it again and again every day? People get immune, they get used to such things. Children get used to these things. They think it is very normal, brutal and a bad thing but very normal in the streets. First time I watched it over the television, I could not bear it for more than a couple of seconds. Then, every time it played, I kept watching it more, bit by bit and it took me three days to watch the complete footage. While a seven year old watched the whole thing, the very first time it played. Yeah, go ahead; blame her next time when something such happens and she is standing amongst the crowd.
A common man can not fight another common man when one has a weapon and police and the other has neither. He will and can retaliate but only when it is real personal!
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