POLICE in India on Tuesday (29) urged the public against believing rumours on social media after a sixth person falsely accused of being a child trafficker was killed by an angry mob.
A transgender woman was lynched and three others seriously injured in Hyderabad city last weekend by a crowd that linked them to a child exploitation ring that police say does not exist.
The 52-year-old’s murder was the sixth in May in southern India that was prompted by false and persistent rumours on social media about a child kidnapping gang, police said.
A 42-year-old man was beaten to death last week in Nizamabad district, about 160 km (100 miles) from Hyderabad, after a mob claimed he was a child kidnapper.
“There are no kidnapping gangs in Hyderabad,” the city’s police commissioner Anjani Kumar said on Tuesday. “We warn (the) public... (against) harming anyone based on rumours on social media.”
Dozens of police officers and locals marched through the southern city on Monday (28) evening with loudspeakers urging people not to take the law into their own hands.
Police arrested 35 people in connection with the beating of the transgender woman last Saturday (26). She died in hospital the next day.
Authorities have issued warnings in Telangana – where the attack occurred – and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states where vigilantes have murdered four others this month over the same rumour.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)