As tilling of land begins for summer crops (Garma paddy), such as rice,watermelons, muskmelons, and various vegetables,child kidnapping unfolds in Jharkhand.

The scene is no different this time when rumours of child kidnapping have triggered panic across Jharkhand, leading to a spate of mob violence incidents over the past one week.

In the farm land, tilling of land is going on for sowing Garma paddy. And a menace connected with a belief that sacrifice of a child can lead to bumper Garma paddy corps is suspected to result in kidnapping of children.

Irrespective of the reality, at least 12 cases of mob-assault based on suspicion of child kidnapping have been reported from different parts of the state, prompting police to issue an urgent appeal for restraint.

For example on Thursday morning( February 19,2026), three innocent persons, two women and a man were surrounded and assaulted by a mob in the Edalhatu area of Ranchi on suspicion of child theft.

They were travelling in an auto-rickshaw with a child when the incident occurred.A report quoting an eye witness stated
that the child was ‘crying’, following which someone raised an alarm alleging that a kidnapping attempt was being made.

As the rumour spread rapidly, locals gathered, stopped the auto-rickshaw and dragged the three occupants out. The situation quickly turned violent, with the mob attacking them without verifying the facts.

Police from Bariatu police station in Ranchi, led by officer-in-charge Manoj Kumar, reached the spot promptly and rescued the victims, averting what could have been a fatal incident. They were taken to the police station for questioning.

Investigation by the police has not confirmed the existence of any organised child-lifting gang. However, officials said it remains unclear whether there was any actual attempt to abduct the child, and the matter is under investigation.

The Ranchi incident is part of a worrying pattern. Over the past five days, similar mob attacks based on child-lifting rumours have been reported from Dhanbad, Chatra, Jamshedpur, Jamtara, Giridih, Ramgarh, Latehar and Bokaro.

Three days ago, a man was beaten to death in the Piparwar area of Chatra district after being suspected of child theft. Subsequent inquiries revealed that the deceased was mentally unstable and had no links to any kidnapping attempt.

On Wednesday, two women were attacked by a mob in Dhanbad's Baghmara area following similar rumours. Police intervened in time and rescued them. Earlier, on February 16, six women were assaulted in Bokaro on suspicion of being members of a child-lifting gang before police stepped in and ensured their safety.

Jharkhand Police have urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands and to refrain from acting on unverified information circulating on social media platforms, particularly WhatsApp.

Authorities have appealed to the public to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station instead of resorting to violence.

However, no full- fledged enquiry has ever proved or rejected the rumour and suspicion that child kidnapping took place for his/ her sacrifice for bumper harvest of paddy.

This has roots in a factual police case dating back to June 10,2019( Times of India Report-Man Sacrifices 12-Year-Old Nephew For Bumper Harvest In Odisha) highlighting the child of
a 12-year-old boy.

He, according to the same TOI report, was sacrificed by his uncle for a good harvest in the then ongoing kharif season at a remote village in Odisha’s Nuapada district.