Bengaluru police dismiss boy kidnapping rumour, warn against spreading false news

Bengaluru: A false report claiming that a 10-year-old boy was kidnapped by two bike-borne men from Shikaripalya and held captive in a house in Hebbagodi circulated widely on social media, triggering panic among parents and residents.However, police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh told TOI that the claim was baseless and that no such incident had been reported. Police have registered a case against unidentified individuals for spreading the false information.
The social media post had claimed that a boy was kidnapped in Shikaripalya by two strangers who allegedly followed him from school, forced him onto their motorcycle, and confined him in a house near Hebbagodi. It further alleged that police tracked the suspects using a vehicle number, rescued the child, and that the incident was the fourth such kidnapping in 10 days, supposedly linked to organ theft in areas around Hebbagodi, Shikaripalya, and Electronics City. The post urged parents to remain vigilant and warned them against allowing strangers to approach their children. Police have clarified that the entire claim is fabricated and have registered a case against unidentified persons for spreading the false message.Urging parents and WhatsApp users not to pay heed to rumours, Singh said: "This particular report is baseless. It caused unnecessary panic. No such incidents happened, and our schoolchildren are safe."M Narayana, deputy commissioner of police, Electronics City division, told TOI that they booked a case against an unknown person for uploading the post. "We will identify the person who created it. Legal action will be initiated against such mischief mongers. We have also clarified on our official social media handles that the report about children being kidnapped is false," he said.