UP police seeks volunteers' help to stop mob lynchings

After a spate of mob lynchings over child lifting rumours, that claimed at least six lives, in different parts of the state in the past few days, the Uttar Pradesh police have roped in ''volunteers'' to help check such rumours and also trace the offenders.

According to the police sources here on Friday, the more than 100 incidents of mob lynchings had been reported from different parts of the state in the month of August only.

Though the officials confirmed only three deaths in mob lynchings, sources said that at least six persons, including a woman, were killed by the mobs of child lifting rumours.

Three persons, including a mentally challenged youth, were killed by frenzied mobs in the state over such rumours in the past two days only, sources said.

The police had so far registered 32 cases in connection with these incidents and arrested more than one hundred people, the officials said.

''National Security Act (NSA) will be slapped on those found spreading child lifting rumours,'' said a senior police official here while speaking to DH.

''We are seeking help of three lakh digital volunteers to keep a tab on the rumours on the social media and trace the culprits,'' the official added.

The police were also using the mass media to appeal to the people not to fall prey to such rumours. ''We are trying to reach out to the people and convince them to inform the cops if they suspect anyone of being a child lifter and not take the law in their hands,'' the official said.

The state government is contemplating to make stringent laws to combat mob lynching after the State Law Commission recommended strict punishment, including life imprisonment in case of death of the victim.