BENGALURU: City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar on Friday issued a strict warning to those found circulating rumours of child kidnappers on the prowl and those who attack people they find to be suspicious instead of handing them over to the police.
“Investigation into the recent incidents of lynching in and around the city have established that the victims, including Kaluram, were innocent people and not involved in kidnapping of children. Stern action will be taken against those who attack any kind of persons and those who spread rumours, forward messages on social media”, he warned.
Addressing a press conference, the police commissioner said, “We are monitoring the false messages on WhatsApp and other social networking sites. So far, no such incidents of actual kidnappings have come to light and mobs are targeting innocent people blindly believing rumours of a gang of child kidnappers operating in the city. Policemen across the city are closely watching the situation and creating awareness among the public to prevent such attacks on anyone”.
“More than 14 people, including three women, were rescued over the last two days. Some of them were locked in isolated places and a couple of them were thrashed. So we have filed cases against the attackers and Pulakeshinagar, Bharathinagar, Whitefield and Cottenpet police are investigating the cases”, Suneel Kumar added.
“A total 16 people were arrested for killing Kaluram in Chamarajpet on Wednesday. The arrested have been handed over to judicial custody. On Thursday evening, a group of people had gathered at Shivajinagar, Bharathinagar after hearing rumour of child kidnappers. Police officials rushed to the spot and rescued nine men and three women who were daily wagers and found around the areas. Whitefield police on Friday rescued three women, who are residents of Hoodi and were locked inside a house by locals. Police found that they are cloth merchants and were walking in the area hawking their wares”, Suneel Kumar said.
Call The Cops
The city police commissioner has requested citizens to contact the police control room on 100 or 9480801000 if they find any suspicious persons. No such gang of child kidnappers are in and around the city and false news is being spread over social media, he asserted.