WB-LD CHILD LIFTER

Mob assaults youth taking him as child-lifter
    (Eds: adds backgrounds)
    Kolkata, Feb 23 (PTI) A youth was beaten up by a mob
in Phoolbagan area of North Kolkata suspecting him as a child
-lifter, police said Saturday.
    A police officer was also heckled when he tried to
rescue the youth late Friday evening.
    After being informed, personnel from Phoolbagan police
station reached Dom Para locality and rescued the victim.
    A total of 17 persons were arrested in connection with
the incident, police said.
    Locals alleged that the youth was roaming in the area
wearing a burqa and was "trying" to lift children from behind
a shopping mall.
    Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had alleged on Friday
that attempts were being made to disturb peace in West Bengal,
with "burqa-clad men" being sent to streets to create panic
amid rumours of child lifting.
    "We are investigating the matter. We are trying to
collect CCTV footages recorded by cameras installed at the
shopping mall," a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.
    A case was registered in this connection and a police
picket was posted in the locality, he said.
    "The youth is a resident of Narkeldanga area. Rumours
were being spread that the youth was beaten to death, but it
is absolutely false. He is undergoing treatment in a hospital
and is at the moment stable," the officer said.
    The rumours are being spread to create confusion and
foment trouble, he said.
    A social monitoring cell was opened at the state
secretariat Saturday to keep a tab on rumours on child-lifters
spread through social media, officials said.
    Recently there have been a spurt in incidents of mob
violence fuelled by rumours spread through social media and
several people were injured in different parts of the state.
    A mob attacked a woman suspecting her to be a child-
lifter in Tikiapara area of Howrah a couple of days ago.
Similar incidents were reported from other districts as well
since last year.
    The chief minister Friday urged the people to go to
the police and lodge complaint about such incidents. PTI SCH
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