The State Government has formed a joint team comprising the Commissioner and the Deputy Inspector-General of Kolhan to investigate two incidents of lynching in Seraikela and Jamshedpur on May 18, killing seven persons following rumours of child-lifting gangs operating in certain parts of the State surfacing on WhatsApp groups.
Talking to media persons at Suchna Bhawan, Home Secretary SKG Rahate said that FIRs have been lodged in respective police stations and 18 persons have also been arrested in this regard.
Four persons were lynched at Raj Nagar in Saraikela-Kharwawan district while three others got killed at Nagadih under Bagbera police station in Jamshedpur.
“Situation is completely under control in all the three places, where such incidents took place, and we are trying to alert the people living in those areas through pamphlets, posters advertising on print and electronic media warning them not to take law in their hands,” said Rahate. People have also been warned not to pay attention to wrong unfounded rumours and also not to forward irresponsible messages on social media, he added.
“A joint team comprising Commissioner and DIG of Kolhan has been formed by the State Government to probe into the matter taking all aspects into consideration and submit a report within a month,” said Rahate. The team will also investigate the whether there was any vested interest of anyone behind spreading the rumours, he added.
The Home Secretary asserted that the incident was a spontaneous reaction, sparked off purely on the basis of unfounded rumours, that child lifters were active in the area.
“It was an unfortunate incident which was executed on the basis of rumour- mongering. FIRs have been lodged in respective police stations and 18 persons have also been arrested in this regard. An administrator of WhatsApp group has also been summoned for questioning,” Rahate said. Ex gratia or Rs 2 lakh for the nearest kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 to each of the person injured in the incident has been announced by the State Government, he added.
“No such incident has occurred after May 18 in the area as two companies each of Rapid Action Force and Jharkhand Armed Police have been camping there,” said the DGP.
He also claimed that no any incident of child lifting has been reported so far in the entire State. The State Police, after these incidents, have been monitoring social media very closely, he added.