Talking about mob violence, specialists say that caught in public frenzy, an individual loses the ability to think rationally.
In the heat of the moment, people are swayed by the mob sentiment and engage in a dangerous act.
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) has said that in the last six months, 36 persons died in public beating; last year, this was 39.
As per Bangla Tribune research, last April, 12 persons were killed due to mob beating.
Professor Dr Ali Reaz of Illinois State University in the USA says: “There are three reasons for mob violence, 1. When moral panic spreads; moral panic is the fear that the lifestyle of majority of people will face jeopardy; in that situation, ‘evil’ elements are identified and attacked by people; 2. Weakening of social bonds and 3. Lack of trust on police, legal system and other government institutes.
In this category, often the state incites an event directly or indirectly while perpetrators are protected by the powerful.
Professor Tajul Islam, observes: “When people are united they become one unit. In a state of combined hypnosis they act irrationally. Most people go with the flow, forgetting one’s ability to discern between right and wrong.”
As per Freud, man has both death instinct and living instinct but when the former becomes more powerful, s/he acts violently.