Child-Lifting Racket: DGP Promises Stern Action Against Rumour-Mongers

Bhubaneswar: Taking note of the severe thrashing of innocent persons in some parts of the state on the suspicion of them being child lifters, the Odisha Police have decided to issue an advisory to this effect very soon.

Informing the media on Tuesday, Director General of Police (DGP) Dr RP Sharma said these unfortunate incidents took place following such rumours on the social media. The viral videos claimed that the gangs are from Bihar and they had arrived in the state to kidnap children. The child lifters are now active in Korpaut, Rayagada Khurda and Balasore of Odisha, as per the rumours on social media.

“We have identified these rumour mongers against whom exemplary action would be taken,” he said.

As per the latest reports, such incidents have been reported from some areas in Rayagada, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Kendrapara, Balasore and Cuttack districts.

In Kendrapara district, five youths, including a 55-year-old man, were thrashed by the people in Rajnagar, Pattamundai and Derabis blocks on Monday.

In another incident, three youths were thrashed while five members of a Sankirtan group were detained by irate locals in Soro, Jaleswar, Khaira and Bahanaga blocks in Balasore district.

In Soro-Anantpur area, a woman was beaten black and blue and almost stripped by a group of people near Balanga Chhak.

In Cuttack district also, two youths were thrashed at Gargara and Kukudanga villages under Salepur police limits. Similarly, three persons were beaten up by the people of Gopalpur, Ranpur, Harirajpur and Subarnapur villages under Banki police limits.

Of all the victims rescued by the police from the aforesaid districts, some were beggars while others found mentally challenged.

Meanwhile, Ambadala police on Tuesday arrested 16 persons of Peruguda village in Rayagada district for thrashing two persons on the suspicion of being child lifters on May 27.

In another incident, police detained three persons of Simulia area in Balasore late on Monday for stripping and beating up a woman in full public glare on Sunday, suspecting her to be a child-lifter.

However, the woman was later found to be a mentally challenged.