A video of a man hounded by a mob over suspicions of child-lifting has been shared on social media with the claim that a gang of child-kidnappers was caught in Nalagarh in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh. “नालागढ़ में पकड़ा बच्चा चोर घिरोर ,” wrote Facebook user Babloo Panwar to circulate the video last month. The clip drew 41,000 views.
नालागढ़ में पकड़ा बच्चा चोर घिरोर
Posted by Babloo panwar on Sunday, 11 August 2019
Another video of the same incident was shared by Panwar.
बच्चा चोर की की पिटाई
नालागढ़Posted by Babloo panwar on Monday, 12 August 2019
Mentally unstable man hounded over false child-kidnapping rumours
Alt News contacted Baddi police, Solan district. After looking at the video, the police informed us that a mentally unstable man was caught and beaten by locals in Salhewal over false rumours of child-kidnapping.
“This man had come from Chandigarh and had lost his way. Locals apprehended him as they found him suspicious and also beat him up. Later, when the police intervened, his wife and mother came and we found that the man was mentally unstable. He came to Himachal after getting into a fight at home. The incident took place in Salhewal and has nothing to do this child-kidnapping. It’s a false rumour,” said the police.
Child-kidnapping rumours are rampant in the country, with mobs taking the lives of innocents in several cases. Mentally-challenged individuals have become the most common victims of mob violence sparked by such false rumours.
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