THE inquiry report into the Sialkot lynching episode of two brothers has been completed and submitted before the Supreme Court. The Inquiry officer Justice (Retd) Kazim Malik, who currently is Director General Anti-Corruption Establishment Punjab, deserves a pat on the back for carrying out the investigation without fear or favour. The report is very explicit about how the two brothers were slain. First and foremost, it confirms that both of them were totally innocent and had no past criminal record whatsoever. Then the report points out the criminal role of the police in the killing and states that the police officers rather than stopping the crowd from attacking the brothers encouraged them to do so. Justice Kazim rightly remarked that DPO Waqar Chohan and the SHO slaughtered the boys with the sword of official authority. RPO Gujrawala has also been rightly criticised for his lack of cooperation in the investigations. It is comforting to know that the accused, including the DPO Waqar Chohan along with six other police officers, have seen sent to jail. However, the SHO who is also named in the report is still at large. The SC has ordered the authorities to ensure his arrest within 24 hours. Of course the role played by the media for unveiling the whole story before the nation that led the Supreme Court to initiate suo moto notice also deserves appreciation. It is worth pointing out that the inquiry report also reprimands the bystanders who stood in guilty silence as the assailants lynched the brothers. Such barbaric acts are in all probability symptoms of the deadly malaise of a militant mindset prevailing in the society and must be condemned, followed by exemplary punishment to the culprits. Broadly speaking, while tolerance seems to be in short supply, our collective conscience is developing an unhealthy tendency for violence and lawlessness. The scourge of street justice making its presence felt in the Sialkot incident is just one example.