{"id":45872,"date":"2019-09-15T19:34:53","date_gmt":"2019-09-15T14:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=45872"},"modified":"2019-09-16T14:46:17","modified_gmt":"2019-09-16T09:16:17","slug":"selling-fear-for-youtube-views-staged-child-lifting-videos-viral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/selling-fear-for-youtube-views-staged-child-lifting-videos-viral\/","title":{"rendered":"Selling fear for YouTube views: Staged child-lifting videos viral"},"content":{"rendered":"

Child-kidnapping rumours are rampant in the country, with frenzied mobs taking the law in their own hands and thrashing people on the streets over unfounded suspicions of child-lifting. Mentally-challenged people, unable to defend themselves either by words or action, have become the most common victims of the violence. A majority of the mob attacks have been reported from the rural parts of the country. More than 15 people were lynched in the last three months across India. Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are some of the states most affected.<\/p>\n

Alt News has debunked several videos of mob attacks widespread on social media furthering untrue claims. In this report, we will be talking about the disturbing trend of staged videos fanning child-kidnapping rumours.<\/p>\n

Videos staged for YouTube views<\/h2>\n

In the era of social media, where ‘likes’ and ‘views’ dictate the nature of content, several YouTube users have left no stones unturned to misinform people in the most convenient yet believable fashion. Multiple staged videos narrating the ‘modus operandi’ of ‘child-kidnappers on a prowl’ are drawing millions of views on the video-sharing platform. They’ve been created around the stereotypical characterisation of ‘child-kidnappers’ – unidentified people, many differently-abled, begging for alms.<\/p>\n

In the course of this article, Alt News will list five of the most viral staged videos on YouTube adding fuel to false child-kidnapping rumours.<\/p>\n

1. Two men dressed as sadhus<\/h3>\n

Video posted by – L K Films<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Number of views – 27 million\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A dramatic video shows two men dressed as sadhus recceing in a village. One of the men acts as a deaf and mute person, while the other middle-aged man is shown instructing this person. The duo are going door to doors begging for alms when the differently-abled man finds a little boy without a guardian roaming the streets. He offers the boy a snack then, seizes an opportunity to sedate and hide him under a shed. Subsequently, he informs his partner who brings a car, driven by a third man, to the spot. The two men are shown packing the boy in a sack and finally, kidnapping the child and hopping into the car.<\/p>\n