Dozens of people have been killed in public lynchings by angry crowds during the past four years over WhatsApp rumours in India.

Articles published by The Economic Times and India Today proves that dozens of people had been killed in public by mobs over WhatsApp rumours.

Articles published by The Economic Times and India Today proves that dozens of people had been killed in public by mobs over WhatsApp rumours.The Economic Times in its news article dated 13 July 2017 states that around 20 people were killed in 14 incidents between May and July 2018 in various parts of India, after rumours spread on the WhatsApp. Some of the victims were believed to be beef eaters or indulging in cow slaughter, others were thought to be kidney smugglers, and in many cases, the victims were suspected to be child abductors. Further, it added that five people were killed in Maharashtra on 1 July 2018, with violence in the predominantly Adivasi region over the rumours of child kidnappers on WhatsApp. Moreover, it also says that the National Crimes Records Bureau (NCRB) does not specifically track lynchings.

As per the India Today article dated 14 July 2017, 32 people had been killed in 20 cases from 2014. Over 50 cases were examined and almost all victims were Muslim or Dalit. It mentioned that 70 per cent were suspected of killing or smuggling cows.