The messages being circulated in social media were rumours

The state police is initiating criminal action against locals who killed two persons following rumours on social media of an inter-state gang of kidnappers on the prowl to lift children.

Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy on Wednesday said there were no inter-state gangs active in the state. He said that the messages being circulated in social media were rumours, and requested citizens to not take law into their hands and attack innocent people. Interacting with media at the police headquarters here, he expressed concern over the killing of two persons in separate incidents at Bhimgal in Nizamabad and Bibinagar in Yadadri district.“In both cases, the victims were innocent and not related to any gang. When they were caught by the locals and questioned, they could not give satisfactory answers and were killed,” Mr Reddy said.

He said there were no reports of gangs being active in the state; if there were gangs the police is capable of nabbing them, he said.Mr Mahender Reddy warned stringent action against those spreading rumours through social media and also those persons who were forwarding such rumours through Whatsapp and Facebook. The DGP requested citizens to inform the police on Dial-100 if they found anyone suspicious.To build confidence among the people, the police has asked its personnel to conduct patrolling in remote areas. The police also asked field level officials to look out for mentally disabled persons and beggars staying in villages or mandals and shift them to safety.