Residents of the Chachariya village here tied up a mentally challenged man after accusing him of being a child-lifter. The man was later rescued from the mob of angry villagers by the police, said Police Station Incharge (SI), Sendhwa, Vishwajit Parihar on Friday.
"The man was tied up by the locals on the suspicion of being a child-lifter, thankfully they did not beat him. The police arrived on the spot and took him to a hospital. It is due to Whatsapp forwards that rumours are spread about child-lifters being active in the area which makes locals grow suspicious and they end up nabbing mentally challenged persons," Parihar told here.
The mob had allegedly kept the victim tied up for a few hours before the police reached the spot and rescued him.
The incident which took place on Thursday night is not the first one from Madhya Pradesh when villagers have taken the law in their own hands after accusing a person of being a child-lifter.
The official added that they are trying to educate the villagers and asking them not to believe rumours and also said that the administration will ensure justice if any person is mishandled by a mob on accusations of being a child-lifter.
"We are trying to educate the village heads and Patels about these rumours to ensure no innocent person is punished by the villagers. If we get the news that any person has been physically tortured on the allegations of being a child-lifter we will take action against all the accused," Parihar said.
( With inputs from ANI )