R

umors of child abduction sent randomly via text messages to residents of Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) over the last two days have triggered deadly chaos, killing five people and damaging two police stations.

NTB Police information and data management division deputy chief Comr. I Gusti Ketut Suarya reported on Monday that the rumors had led to residents hunting and killing five alleged kidnappers on Sunday and Monday.

“At least two police stations were vandalized and five people fell victim to mob attacks due to the child kidnapping rumors,” Suarya said.

Residents of Kediri district in West Lombok performed a citizen’s arrest on one man they accused of being child-kidnapper on Sunday afternoon.

The police immediately put the man, whose identity remained unclear as of Monday, under their custody.

However, few hours later, thousands of angry residents stormed the police station and assaulted the alleged kidnapper, killing him. The residents also damaged Kediri police station.

“The body of the victim is currently at Mataram Bhayangkara Police Hospital. He has yet to be identified,” said Suarya.

Also on Sunday afternoon, another deadly incident occurred in Selat village in Narmada district when I Putu Suarjana, 32, a resident living in BTN Sweta housing complex in Mataram, was tortured and killed after residents accused him of being a kidnapper.

On Monday, two perfume sellers were accused of being kidnappers when residents spotted them giving sweets to children in Kuta, Central Lombok.

“The two alleged kidnappers were taken to Pujut police office but the mob came, tortured and killed them and damaged the police office,” Suarya said.

He said that police officers could do little to tame the angry mob because they were outnumbered.

In Jerowaru district in East Lombok, Kimin, a resident of Semoyong village was chased by hundreds of people riding motorcycles and was beaten to death. The 35-year-old man was accused of being a child kidnapper.

Suarya said that the alleged abductions were nothing but rumors. “Once again, I announce that NTB Police have yet to receive any abduction reports from parents,” he said.

“We expect residents to calm down and let police find the source of the rumors,” he added.

The NTB National Unity and Domestic Politics Agency (Bakesbangpoldagri) also said a crowd in Sukaraja, East Lombok, had set fire to a car on Monday as they believed the car was owned by kidnappers.

“Four passengers were in the car. Three of them managed to flee from the mob, but the other one was mobbed by the crowd,” said NTB Bakesbangpoldagri head Nasibun.

NTB Deputy Governor Badrul Munir called on residents to keep calm and not be easily provoked by random text messages. Badrul spoke of rumors people must be aware of, including rumors of sorcery, kidnapping and those involving SARA (tribal affiliations, religion, race and societal groups).