Patna: The Bihar Police has appealed to the public to remain cautious and avoid taking the law into their own hands amid a surge in rumours related to child kidnapping. Additional Director General Amit Kumar Jain said citizens should immediately inform police about any suspected incidents, assuring that authorities will thoroughly investigate each complaint and take necessary action.
Police said five alleged kidnapping complaints were reported over the past two days from districts including Jamui, Purnia, Nalanda and two incidents in Muzaffarpur. Investigations conducted under directions from headquarters found all the cases to be unfounded, highlighting the dangers of misinformation spreading rapidly through communities.
Jain warned that rumours can quickly attract crowds at suspected locations, increasing the risk of mob violence and wrongful targeting of innocent individuals. He urged residents to avoid independent action in suspicious situations and instead contact emergency helpline Dial 112 or inform their nearest police station, stressing that law enforcement is responsible for verifying facts.
Sharing data on missing children, Jain said 14,699 cases were registered in 2025, including 12,526 girls and 2,173 boys. Police managed to trace 7,772 children and reunite them with their families, while search efforts continue for 6,927 others. Officials are required to begin immediate inquiries upon receiving missing-child reports, register an FIR if a child remains untraced for 24 hours, and transfer unresolved cases after four months to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit for specialised investigation.
The ADG acknowledged a rise in missing-person cases in recent years but said police have dismantled several organised trafficking networks and rescued numerous children. He also highlighted the national Vatsalya Portal, which enables police stations across India to share information and coordinate recovery efforts when missing children are found outside their home state.
Jain concluded that public awareness and timely reporting are essential to ensuring children’s safety. He urged citizens not to circulate unverified information on social media and to immediately report suspicious activities so authorities can intervene before rumours escalate into law-and-order concerns.
