Amid the growing incidents of mob attacks over child-lifting rumours, all the police units concerned have been directed to take necessary measures to stop the lynching.
The Police Headquarters (PHQ) issued the directives on Monday, two days after it urged all not to take the law into own hands by resorting to mass beating suspecting someone as a child-lifter.
It said an evil attempt is on to create an unstable situation in the country through killing people after spreading child-lifting rumours. “The act of killing in mass beating and creating an unstable situation in the country spreading rumours is a criminal offence,” it said.
In the fresh directives, the PHQ has asked for increasing surveillance in all educational institutions and slums, taking steps to make guardians aware holding views-exchange meetings with teachers, employees and governing bodies, ensuring escort by guardians during departure of students and installing CCTV cameras on campuses and in adjoin areas.
It has ordered taking necessary steps to raise public awareness against child-lifting rumours by distributing leaflets and posters, making announcements through loudspeakers and holding courtyard meetings with public representatives, civil society, community policing representatives and common people.
The PHQ has asked all units concerned/police supers to encourage people to hand over suspected child-lifters to law enforcers without taking the law into own hands and take steps to remove confusion over child-lifting through mosque imams.
It said instant actions will have to be taken against those who make confusing posts and comments, and spread rumours on social networking sites Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and mobile phones.
All the unit chiefs have been asked to submit reports on the measures taken by them within three working days.
On Saturday, the police administration urged all not to take law into own hands by resorting to mass beating suspecting someone as a child-lifter.
The advice from the Police Headquarters came as a number of people were killed in mass beatings suspecting them to be child-lifters following rumours spread by a vested group that people’s heads are necessary as sacrifice for the construction of the Padma Bridge.
Decapitation of a minor boy in Netrakona town on Thursday amid rumours of ‘human sacrifice’ for the Padma Bridge has fuelled the mass beatings, killing at least four people and injuring 30 others across the country in the last three days.
