Mumbai:
Actor-director Farhan Akhtar, in a Facebook post, has expressed anguish over the murder of Mohammad Akhlaq, who was killed by a mob on Monday night in Dadri in Uttar Pradesh allegedly over rumours that he had eaten beef.
The actor said the guilty should get strict punishment to send a strong message that such "kangaroo justice" will not be allowed. He, however, feared that the guilty may never be brought to book.
The filmmaker also decried the political "circus" over the killing of a 50-year-old man, saying "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?"
"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," Mr Farhan said.
He 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."