Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 27: A viral rumour regarding a child kidnapping gang operating near Kuntikana caused widespread panic among the public on Friday morning. However, the Kadri police, after a thorough investigation, have clarified that the reports are entirely baseless.

The scare began when a message started circulating on social media claiming that four individuals in an Omni van had kidnapped two children near a private hospital in Kuntikana. Believing the information, a local woman reportedly sent a voice note to anganwadi teachers in the vicinity. One of the teachers then forwarded the alert to a parents' WhatsApp group, advising them to be cautious.

As these voice notes went viral, parents and residents became terrified, with many fearing that a "kidnapping gang" was active in the city.

Police investigation and clarification

Upon learning about the situation, the Kadri police rushed to the spot and conducted an inquiry until the afternoon. They questioned local residents and the anganwadi teacher involved in spreading the message. The teacher stated that she had sent the warning in good faith after hearing it from others.

The investigation revealed that the rumour originated from a minor observation by a few children near St Anne's School. The children had reportedly seen a young girl crying in an auto-rickshaw and began discussing the possibility of "child lifters" among themselves. This playground talk was overheard and misconstrued by adults, eventually snowballing into a full-blown kidnapping scare.

Police commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy, responding to media queries, confirmed that no such kidnapping took place. "It was merely a rumour. We have verified the facts and there is no cause for alarm," he said.

The police have urged the public not to share unverified voice notes or messages that create unnecessary fear and have reminded citizens that spreading false information can lead to legal consequences.