GAIGHAT: As rumours about child abductions and theft are doing the rounds, residents of Rauta Galeni, Udayapur, have barred strangers from entering the village at night time.

According to locals, they nab the strangers who enter the village after 6 pm. On Thursday evening, the villagers had nabbed five strangers and tied them with a rope suspecting them of having entered the village with the motive of lifting children. However, the strangers were freed in the morning after they were found innocent.

Bharat Khadka, a local, said the rumours about child abductions were rampant in the hilly areas. He said the villagers were terrified following rumours that child abductors had spread far and wide in the hilly areas. However, he conceded that no children had been abducted from the village. A week ago, three businessmen from Udaypur's Rasuwa and two youths returning from Khotang after appearing in examination were beaten black and blue on suspicion of being child lifters.

Meanwhile, District Police Office, Udayapur, said no case on the child abduction had been filed yet.