Lynching as a Form of Informal Justice: A Sociological Study of Power and Fear in India

Lynching in contemporary India has increasingly emerged as a form of informal justice wherein collective violence replaces institutional legal mechanisms. This study examines lynching through a sociological lens to understand how power relations, collective fear, and weakened trust in formal authority contribute to the legitimisation of mob violence. Drawing upon Émile Durkheim’s concept of collective conscience, the paper argues that lynching reflects distorted forms of social solidarity where moral norms are enforced through violence rather than law. Max Weber’s theory of authority and legitimacy is employed to analyse how mobs assume coercive power in contexts where the state’s monopoly over legitimate violence is perceived to be ineffective. Additionally, Stanley Cohen’s Moral Panic Theory helps explain how rumours, media narratives, and perceived threats generate fear that mobilises collective action against targeted individuals or groups. The study also engages with Michel Foucault’s ideas on power and punishment, highlighting how lynching functions as a public spectacle of discipline and social control. Using secondary data, case studies, and sociological literature, the paper reveals that lynching disproportionately affects marginalised communities and erodes democratic values, social trust, and the rule of law. The study concludes that lynching is not merely spontaneous violence but a socially constructed practice rooted in power hierarchies and collective anxieties, necessitating urgent institutional and social interventions.