Ranchi — Panic triggered by rumours of child abductions has led to a surge in mob assaults across Jharkhand, with at least 12 such incidents recorded within five days. Law enforcement agencies have called for restraint and responsible behaviour.
In the latest case, three innocent individuals — two women and a man — were targeted in Ranchi’s Edalhatu area on Thursday morning. They were travelling in an auto-rickshaw with a child when onlookers, alarmed by the child’s crying, suspected a kidnapping attempt.
The rumour spread rapidly, prompting locals to block the vehicle, drag the occupants out, and assault them without verifying the circumstances.
Police from Bariatu Police Station, under the leadership of Manoj Kumar, intervened swiftly and rescued the victims. They were subsequently taken for questioning as part of the ongoing inquiry.
Officials clarified that no organised child-lifting network has been identified so far. Whether there was any genuine attempt to abduct the child remains under investigation.
The Ranchi episode reflects a broader trend, with similar mob violence reported in districts such as Dhanbad, Chatra, Jamshedpur, Jamtara, Giridih, Ramgarh, Latehar and Bokaro.
In Piparwar (Chatra district), a man was lynched three days ago over similar suspicions; investigations later established that he suffered from mental instability and had no connection to kidnapping. On Wednesday, two women were assaulted in Dhanbad’s Baghmara locality before police rescued them. Earlier, on February 16, six women in Bokaro were attacked under comparable allegations but were saved following timely police action.
Jharkhand Police has appealed to citizens to avoid spreading or acting upon unverified information, especially via WhatsApp, and to report any doubts to authorities instead of engaging in vigilantism.
With inputs from IANS