THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, March 6: The Palamu police are battling growing rumours of child lifters (bachha chor) across the district, as several innocent people — mostly elderly and mentally unstable individuals — have narrowly escaped mob attacks in the last 48 hours.
In two separate incidents in Pandu and Daltonganj, the police intervened swiftly to rescue people who were about to be branded as child kidnappers by suspicious locals.
Elderly man from Gaya reunited with family
Superintendent of Police Reeshma Ramesan said that in the Pandu police station area, an elderly man was mistaken for a child lifter. Police later discovered that he was a resident of Gaya district in Bihar and was suffering from mental instability.
Palamu police managed to trace his family and reunite him with them after learning that he had been missing from home for nearly three weeks. His son eventually arrived in Palamu and took him back to Gaya.
Another rescue in Daltonganj town
In Daltonganj town, police carried out another rescue operation involving an elderly man and a woman who appeared to be mentally unstable. The man was being heckled and suspected of being a bachha chor before the police stepped in.
Officer-in-Charge of the town police station Jyoti Lal Rajwar said that rumours and fear are causing people to suspect anyone who looks unusual.
“Anyone who appears haggard, with dishevelled hair or wearing dirty clothes, is immediately suspected of being a child lifter,” Rajwar said.
He described it as a painful example of how society often looks down upon poor, distressed or mentally ill individuals.
Social prejudice and rumours fuelling panic
A passerby jokingly remarked that a couple of journalists in the town often look lost and dishevelled, and could themselves risk being mistaken for child lifters.
Behind the humour, however, lies a serious issue. Many such individuals found wandering in towns are vagabonds, mentally disturbed persons or people who have left their homes, making them easy targets for suspicion.
Where should rescued people be kept?
Police officials say a practical challenge remains: where to keep such rescued individuals after they are saved from mobs.
There are concerns that once released, they could again face suspicion and harassment elsewhere.
Police may seek assistance from the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to arrange temporary shelter for such people at the Medininagar Municipal Corporation’s Ashray Grih, located near the Daltonganj railway station and the government bus stand.
While the shelter can provide space for temporary stay, the issue of arranging regular food and care for these rescued individuals remains unresolved.