Police in southern India on Monday warned the public against falling prey to “social media rumours” of child kidnappers on the prowl after at least four people were lynched to death by mobs over the past week.
Police say messages are being circulated on social media warning that gangs of child lifters are operating in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, leading to mobs attacking beggars and strangers.
In the latest such incident, a 52-year-old beggar was beaten to death in the Chandrayangutta area of Telangana capital Hyderabad on Sunday, City Police Commissioner, Anjani Kumar, said.
Two others, who were injured in the incident are being treated in hospital.
On May 24, a mob lynched a migrant worker in the Cottonpet area of Karnataka capital Bangalore, suspecting him of being a child trafficker.
On May 22, a 42-year-old man was beaten to death by a group of villagers in the Nizamabad district of Telangana and in another incident the same day, an autorickshaw driver was also beaten to death in a village in the Nalgonda district.
Police say in both cases the attackers suspected them of being child lifters.
The police said several other cases of people being beaten up in the three states have been reported.
Several people involved in the attacks, including the administrator of a social media group, have been arrested.
Kumar said police in Telangana are using loudspeakers mounted on vehicles to warn people against falling prey to social media rumours.
Karnataka Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, has directed police to take urgent measures to tackle the issue, a statement from his government said.
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