WhatsApp message turns killer
LYNCHING Jamshedpur grinds to a halt as protesters block roads, attack policemen and damage vehicles to protest against killing of nine people on suspicion of being child lifters
JAMSHEDPUR: A message widely in circulation on WhatsApp, warning the tribal community to keep an eye on its children as childlifter groups are wandering in villages, has claimed the life of nine people in Jharkhand’s Kolhan division and pushed Jamshedpur city to the verge of a communal flare-up.
The message, which is in Hindi and is being widely shared on social media — HT has the message — further warns villagers not to treat it as a rumour and take extra care of children who play in the open. It gives three instances of Jaduguda and Rakha mines areas where suspected child lifters were nabbed and handed over to the police.
“The suspected child lifters are carrying sedatives, injections, spray, cotton and small towels. They speak Hindi, Bangla and Malayalam. If you happen to see any stranger near your house, immediately inform local police as he could be a member of the child-lifting gang,” it warns.
Police said they have tracked few people who have shared the message but have not been able to trace the source.
Across the tribal belt in Kolhan region, where people are largely illiterate, or school dropouts, the message has been taken so seriously that villagers are now vary of every person, especially those who do not look like them or speak their language.
Over the last eight days, tribals have lynched nine people and have brutally thrashed and injured at least six of them. The victims include five Muslims and four Hindus, who were falsely branded child lifters.
Agitated by the killings, both Muslim and Hindu groups have taken to violence in the city, blocking roads, attacking policemen and damaging vehicles.
On Saturday, people took to the streets since morning with sticks and bricks and blocked vehicular traffic.
When police arrived to remove the blockades, they had to face bricks and stone pelting in which some officers were injured.