Malegaon: Brave cops save 5 people from being lynched by mob over child-trafficking rumour

Close on the heels of the mob lynching incident in Dhule in Maharashtra, another horrifying incident was reported in Malegaon where a mob mercilessly thrashed five people, including a two-year-old boy and two women. It was only after police intervention that they were rescued.

The incident happened on Sunday at 11.30 pm in Azad Nagar on Ali Akbar road. All the five people were targetted by an angry mob after rumours of them being child kidnappers did the rounds. The group, however, was saved by a few locals who pushed all five into a house and a small mill stocking textile raw material and kept the surging mob back until a 130-strong police contingent rescued them. The victims of the assault, all residents of a village in Parbhani district, had come to Malegaon to seek alms so they could book railway tickets to go back home.

Five ppl (including a 2 yr old child) rescued from a violent mob of thousands wanting to lynch them in Malegaon. Proud of my team #MalegaonPolice that risked their own lives to save them today@Dev_Fadnavis @IPS_Association @LogicalIndians @thebetterindia @the_hindu @timesofindia https://t.co/ho6iWSDt3W

— Harssh A Poddar (@Harssh_IPS) July 1, 2018

Speaking on the incident, Harssh Poddar, additional SP, Malegaon,''Situation in Malegaon under control. No casualties. No injury to any policemen. 5 persons held hostage on the basis of kidnapping rumours have been safely rescued by police.''

According to reports, Malegaon police got a call informing them about a couple with a 2 year old child when a mob gathered outside the building started pelting stones.

The police have even taken extensive measures like circulating videos against kidnapping rumours, distributing pamphlets, taking public meetings and even registering cases against those caught spreading false rumours under the Indian Penal Code's section 505 (which may lead to three years of imprisonment for causing public panic).

A case has been registered against unknown people for ransacking the police vehicle.