Lynching ‘child-lifters’ continues, toll reaches 90

Bengaluru: It has been 25 days since a fake video about child-lifters began doing its rounds on social media. During this period, close to 90 people have been mistakenly suspected as child kidnappers and were assaulted and lynched by weapon-wielding mobs that were influenced by the video. Though police officials throughout the State continue to reiterate the fact that video is fake, incidents of the public attacking suspects continue to be reported.

On Friday, three women working in a garment factory in Vijayanagar Gutte, near Whitefield, were locked up by a mob. Police rescued them and have registered a case. Similar incidents were reported in Pulikeshinagar, Shivajinagar and Bharathinagar areas in Bengaluru on Thursday and Friday. Four people were arrested in Cottonpet on Thursday night for beating up beggars. So far, 72 cases have been registered and 46 people arrested in this regard. Cases were booked under multiple sections of the IPC, including Section 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder).

Most of the suspected ‘child-lifters’ turn out to be beggars, rag pickers, nomads, labourers or maids who do not speak the local language. In addition to this, police officers, including DG&IGP Neelamani N. Raju, have confirmed that no cases of child abduction with the suspected modus operandi have been reported in any part of the State. Yet, the child helpline-1098- is flooded with calls every day by people who claim the presence of child-lifters in their areas. The helpline has received almost 150 calls in the last two weeks.

The districts which witness a high intensity of such behaviour are Ballari, Raichur, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Hassan, Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura and Bengaluru. Despite police officers trying repeatedly to convince people that the video is fake, the public continues to believe in it and spreads the panic by sharing it. Police have also dedicated teams with women police officials to visit residential localities and spread awareness about the issue and urge people to not spread rumours.