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Mob lynching shocks social psyche; cops on high alert
Director General of Police M Mahendra Reddy warned that stern action would be taken against people who take the law into their hands, here on Wednesday.
​Hyderabad: Director General of Police M Mahendra Reddy warned that stern action would be taken against people who take the law into their hands, here on Wednesday. The warning comes in the wake of some incidents of mob lynching led by false multimedia messages going viral on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. The viral message claims that some kidnappers and burglars are on the prowl.
The DGP said that social media monitoring teams have been set up in district headquarters to identify persons who are spreading rumours. The teams are on the job to identify persons who spread false/hate messages. The messages are wrongly being circulated with some police officers’ names, he added.
Speaking at a press conference, the Director General of Police appealed the people not to believe in rumours. “Due to the false messages that were going rampant on social media, innocent people are falling prey to angry mobs. It has come to my notice that people are taking the law into their hands by attacking innocents on mere suspicion. We will take stringent action on the people who indulge in such activities.
Our teams are on the job to identify the assailants of mob lynching which were reported under Jiyaguda of Rachakonda limits and Bheemghal of Nizamabad district,” he said. If there is any suspicious activity, inform police using Dial 100 or through other platforms, he added. “Please do not transmit or forward messages received on your phone without verifying the facts,” DGP appealed to citizens.
On Tuesday night at around 9:30 pm, one Balakrishna (33) was killed by a mob mostly comprising youth of Jiyapalli village under the limits of Bibinagar police station.
The villagers mistook the victim as one of the gang member of kidnappers or burglars with the influence of false messages circulating on WhatsApp, said a local police officer. The victim, who was an auto driver, was a resident of Korremula village of Ghatkesar Mandal, and was visting his relatives in Jiyaguda. “Balakrishna fell asleep on the roadside in an inebriated state.
When some of the villagers questioned him about his details, he revealed his identity and purpose of visit, despite that the mob thrashed him to death on suspicion that he was a kidnapper,” police said. The police are yet to identify the assailants.
In another incident reported in Nizamabad district under the limits of Bheemgal police station limits, two persons were attacked by Changal villagers. While one, identified as Devilal, was killed, the latter’s condition is said to be critical.
Two days ago, four Biharis were beaten badly under Rachakonda Commissionerate near Ibrahimpatnam. Similar incidents were reported in Vikarabad, and Gadwal districts and the condition of the victims is said to be critical. The DGP cautioned to file cases on the people who were armed with sticks and indulge in patrolling activities at the localities.
