Dhule, Maharashtra: 5 people were killed by villagers after they suspected them of being child kidnappers
A number of cases of violence after WhatsApp rumours pertaining to child kidnappers spread, were reported from different states across the country. In the latest case of mob violence, five people were killed by villagers in Maharashtra's Dhule on Sunday, according to police. 23 people were arrested in connection with the case. The five men, belonging to a nomadic community, had gone to ask for food.
When one of them reportedly tried to speak to a child, villagers, who were around for the weekly Sunday market, suspected him to be a kidnapper and began to thrash him, they said. Soon others joined them and the five were killed in mob violence, police said.
In another case in Chennai, two men were thrashed by a group of people over rumours they were trying to kidnap a child. The police said the two men who were attacked are migrant labourers who have been working on contract with Chennai Metro. Fifteen people have been taken into custody in connection with the incident, police said.
Here are the updates over the cases of mob violence after circulation of WhatsApp rumours:
Seven men from a nomadic community had arrived from Solapur in a state transport bus and had stopped at the Rainpada village, about 140 km from Dhule town.
They reportedly went to a house to ask for food and one of them tried to speak to a child when all hell broke loose. Villagers in the area attending a weekly Sunday market suspected that he was a kidnapper and attacked him.
Soon a raging mob descended on five of the men, locked them in a room and hit them with bricks and stones. They didn't stop until five were lying on the ground, limp and bloodied. According to reports, two of the men managed to escape.
The men who were killed were reportedly from Solapur district of Maharashtra.
The police say rumours about a gang of child kidnappers active in the area had been circulating on social media and WhatsApp for some days.
Dhule UPDATE: 23 people have been arrested and more are likely to be caught, according to police
A man has been arrested and the police are searching for another accused, who was seen in a video of the incident.
The police said the two men who were attacked are migrant labourers who have been working on contract with Chennai Metro.
In Nashik district's Malegaon, the police had made announcements, held meetings and put out pamphlets to counter the rumour mongering.
In Nashik's Malegaon, a family of five were attacked by a mob. Police managed to rescue all five members of the family. However, the mob managed to vandalise a police vehicle.
This mob attack was also because of child kidnapping rumours which had allegedly been circulating.
Dhule, Maharashtra: The bodies have been sent to a hospital in nearby Pimpalner and will be taken to Solapur for the last rites.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Deepak Kesarkar, Minister of State for Maharashtra, who is due to visit Dhule on Monday, urged people to not take law into their own hands.
According to reports, two men from the group of seven managed to escape. All the people who have been arrested are between 20 and 30 years
The men who were killed were reportedly from Solapur district of Maharashtra. It's still not clear why the men had come to Rainpada village, around 140 kilometres from Dhule town.
According to police, rumours about a gang of child kidnappers active in the area had been doing the rounds for the last few days. Top officers are on the spot and investigations are underway.
12 have been arrested from Maharashtra's Dhule
After five people who were suspected of being child kidnappers were killed by villagers, police have arrested 12 people in connection with the killing.