Fake VIDEOS of kidnapping and killing cause panic in city    

Fake videos as much as genuine videos circulate the social platforms and websites. And this leads to fear and panic among the viewers.

And one such instance is Hyderabad, where the latest fake video of a transgender being killed in an attack has caused xenophobia to grip the people.

Xenophobia is the dislike of or prejudices against people from other countries.

Similar incidents were also reported from other parts of the city as groups of people alarmed by fake stories and videos of abduction and murder of children circulating on social media, turned on the beggars.

Deputy commissioner of police S Satyanarayana said a group of people attacked the four transgender-beggars in Chandrayangutta area around 12:30 AM. They were brutally beaten up and stoned by the mob leading to the death of one of them while three others were admitted to the hospital, one of them in critical condition.

He said police reached the spot within five minutes. “If the police had not reached all of them could have died”, he told the media. The victim was identified as transgender Chandraiah from Dearkadra in Mahbubnagar district.

Sometime later, at around 2 AM another group attacked three more beggars and injured them. Minor incidents of attacks were also reported from the limits of Hussaini Alam, Madannpet and Kachiguda police stations keeping the police on their toes.

This is the latest in a series of mob-lynchings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh that has claimed four lives and led to injuries to ten others.

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The latest incident came even after police officials strongly denied the presence of any interstate gang of kidnappers and child-lifters in the state. Warning people against taking the law into their hands, the police had stepped up patrolling all over the state.

As news of the attacks spread, the area corporator of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Ahmad Bin Abdat rushed to the spot and tried to save the beggars. He and the Santosh Nagar police inspector were injured in the stone pelting. The police had a hard time controlling the fury of the mob.

Police have booked two cases of murder and attempt to murder in connection with the attacks on the beggars as well as injuring two policemen and others. “26 people were arrested in connection with the incidents and we are looking for some more people”, Satyanarayana told the media on Sunday.

“We have got some video footage of the incident including footage from CCTV in the area. After identifying the culprits we will arrest them”, the Deputy Commissioner said.

DCP Satyanarayana said videos of ghastly murders by unknown people were not from India but from other countries and some people were circulating them on social media to create fear among people. “These are fake videos and we have made it clear that no gang was on the prowl anywhere in the state”, he said.

He said those found responsible for spreading such videos and messages will be booked for murder if their actions result in attacks and deaths.

Although the assaults appeared isolated, occurring at locations across the state, the victims shared common profiles. They were all beggars, nomads, rag-pickers, daily wage labourers, maids and those who cannot speak the local tongue.

Meanwhile, police also arrested two youth from Pahadishareef area of Hyderabad for sharing fake videos and audios about the kidnapper gangs on WhatsApp. The two were identified as Mohammad Ashfaq and Syed Rahim. The video had gory scenes of dead bodies and injured people claiming they were victims of the gangs.

Area MLA Syed Ahmad Pasha Quadri visited the spot of the incident and urged the people to maintain peace. “There is no truth in the rumours about the kidnapping of children. Not a single incident has been reported. The people should not believe in such rumours and respect the sanctity of the month of Ramadan”, he said.

In a statement, the Hyderabad city police have urged people not to share any social media posts regarding interstate gangs entering Telugu states to rob and kill. “State and district police officials have declared it as fake”, it said.