Mob Fueled by WhatsApp Rumors Lynches Two More Men in India

Two more men were killed Monday in a series of horrifying lynchings that can be traced back to a fake WhatsApp video that purports to show a child being kidnapped by two men, according to BBC News. The video, which has been circulated widely on the messaging platform, is an edited version of a child safety video from Pakistan that shows two men on a motorcycle abducting a minor. The video has spawned nationwide rumors of child snatchers—largely due to text messages that accompany the video warning of incoming kidnappers—and has led to seven unaware victims being falsely accused and killed in the last month. “The two latest victims have been identified as Nilotpal Das, an audio engineer and Abijeet Nath, a digital artist,” BBC notes, “both residents of Guwahati, the largest city in Assam.” The men were killed when they stopped to ask for directions, according to local police. Authorities are urging residents to ignore the rumors and messages.