Wrong WhatsApp video led to techie’s lynching
A WhatsApp video wrongly identifying Hyderabad techie Mohammad Azam Usmansab as a child lifter led to his lynching near Bidar on July 13, police said on Monday.
The video, which originated from here, had a message, saying that three children were kidnapped by strangers who lured them into accepting chocolates, biscuits and other toys. It also said that a gang of 400 kidnappers have come to Bengaluru for child trafficking.
A police officer, requesting anonymity, said the video, showing some persons allegedly confessing to the kidnapping of children, was the reason behind the lynching of the techie.
A total of 30 persons, including the administrator of a WhatsApp group that spread the rumours and the person who shot the pictures of the attack and circulated it, have been arrested.
The officer said a special awareness drive has been launched in the district asking people not to rely on WhatsApp forwards and take the law into their hands, merely on suspicion of somebody being a childtrafficker.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka G Parameshwara said so far 30 people have been arrested in the case where one was lynched to death and two others were injured by mob on suspicion of being child traffickers.
"I have instructed Director General to take serious action. People can't take law in their hands. I've been told that the police has arrested 30 people," Parameshwara said.