JEYPORE: Rumours of child lifting in areas under Bandhugaon block bordering Andhra Pradesh has triggered a chain reaction in the region with the people of the tribal villages viewing strangers or newcomers to their areas with suspicion and even resorting to violence.
In such an incident, two youths were allegedly attacked by villagers of Sulpalmanda on suspicion of being child lifters on Sunday. The duo had ventured into the village in the late evening hours when they were confronted and then beaten up by the locals before being handed over to the police.
However, both were found to be visitors from Parvatipur in Andhra Pradesh. Police arrested two persons Ananda Kadaraka and Kandatamara Mines of Sulpalmanda village in connection with the assault.
For the past four days, rumours fanned by social media have spread in the region about child lifters being active in villages including Alamanda, Badasorpalli, Kabaribadi, Jaguguda, Kamaganda, Kapalada, Tadibalasa, and Kumbhariput. This has led the villagers to step up surveillance, especially during the evening. They have even formed teams to keep a watch on all those who arrive in the villages. Every stranger is being questioned and allowed to move after prover verification of their identity and reason for coming to their villages.
Meanwhile, the police have quelled the rumours of child lifting in Bandhugaon area or any other place in the region and asked people not to believe in them.
“We have requested all the sarpanches to spread awareness among people not to go by rumours and take law and order in their hands,” said Laxmipur SDPO BP Jagat.