Gaighata: Man mistaken as child lifter, assaulted

Kolkata: A youth suspected to be a vagabond was allegedly assaulted by a mob mistaking him for a child lifter on Sunday at Gaighata in North 24-Parganas.

Sources said for the past few days, a youth who seemed to be mentally unsound was seen roaming in the Berigopalpur area. On Sunday, a resident of the area identified as Alok Debnath claimed that the said youth entered his house and was calling his daughter.

Seeing the youth, Debnath’s daughter reportedly fainted out of fear. When the youth was about to flee, he was caught by the local residents and subsequently assaulted. It was claimed that the youth is a child lifter. Cops arrived and rescued the youth from the violent mob.

Recently, a rumour about child lifters roaming to search for children spread in several areas of North 24-Parganas district. Earlier, several people were assaulted in Barasat, Ashoknagar, Khardah and Bongaon on suspicion of being child lifters.

Though police are trying to make people aware not to fall for rumours, such incidents are continuing.