RANCHI: Rumours of child abduction have sparked panic in Jamtara, leading to drop in attendance at government primary schools in recent days. Fear has spread across Gopalpur Panchayat and nearby villages, with some residents staying awake at night to keep vigil.
An atmosphere of insecurity prompted villagers and community leaders to hold a meeting, where it emerged that reports circulating in Dudh-Kevda village had fuelled the panic and directly affected school attendance.
According to reports, attendance has fallen by around 10% in recent days. Locals said Jamtara’s proximity to the West Bengal border, with frequent movement of outsiders, has fuelled suspicion and fear.
The recent arrest of a suspect and the recovery of suspicious material from him have further heightened concerns.
At the meeting, residents urged the administration to step up vigil along the West Bengal border and identify unidentified or mentally disturbed individuals roaming the area, sending them to shelter homes if required. Questions were also raised about security arrangements at schools.
Former village head Manoj Soren said eight of the 10 schools in Gopalpur Panchayat lack boundary walls. Access routes to several schools pass through dense forest, making parental concerns understandable.
Jamtara Block Development Officer (BDO) Abhiswar Murmu said rumours of child theft had caused panic. “It is natural that after spread of rumours of child theft, parents are reluctant to send their small children to school, especially in the rural areas. Due to lack of awareness, rumours spread very fast in the rural areas,” he said.
Deep Naryan Mandal, a teacher at Khairbani High School in Jamtara, said the rumours had affected attendance. “Definitely people are concerned about their children, due to which, attendance of small children has dropped significantly in the schools,” he said.
On Sunday night, villagers in Dudh-Kevada under Gopalpur Panchayat, suspecting a man to be a child lifter, allegedly assaulted him.
In another incident on Monday, a man from Bihar was seen roaming in Udalbani Panchayat. Villagers detained him and informed the police.
Officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station Manoj Kumar Mahato said that in both cases the individuals were mentally ill and had wandered into the villages. Both were unable to clearly state their names or identities.
Following the incidents, the district administration has stepped up vigilance and launched an awareness drive to prevent harm to innocent people.
In February, at least 12 assault cases were reported across Jharkhand within five days, leaving one person dead in Chatra and several others critically injured.
Despite Jharkhand Police stating there is no evidence of an organised child-lifting gang, rumours fuelled by unverified WhatsApp forwards have sparked panic across the state.