BIRATNAGAR: Morang residents are panic stricken as rumours of schoolchildren being kidnapped from various places in the district are doing the rounds for the past few days.

The situation has come to such a pass that schools in Biratnagar, Rangeli, Urlabari, Dainiya and

Jhurkiya are closed. Worried guardians have stopped their wards from attending schools as rumour of motorcycle-borne unidentified people abducting children are spreading far and wide in

this Tarai district.

Children are allegedly being targeted for the flourishing organ trade - the criminals are eyeing the minors’eyes and kidneys for a tidy profit.

Though the security at Sikhaya Sadan Secondary School at Saurochiya in Biratnagar is believed to be adequate, the institution has been closed for the past two days as a precautionary measure.

“There is rumour that two children were kidnapped from adjoining Janapath School in Biratnagar yesterday,” said Hiralal Mandal, a day-shift in-charge at Sikhaya Sadan Secondary

School. He, however, failed to provide any detail. Janku Chaudhari, 11, a domestic help, who worked at Niroj Shrestha’s house, went missing a few days ago. However, the police managed to trace him. He was handed over to CWIN Helpline – an NGO - yesterday.

Kiran Thapa, who works at accountant at Janapath Secondary School in Biratnagar- 15, is aware of the rumour. “I heard that two students were stolen from Jyoti Primary School in the town

two days ago. Some people were thrashed for the act,” he said. A deranged person faced public’s wrath for similar reason in Jaljala Chowk two days ago.Rumour has also spread to Hattimuda. Bidhya Nanda Majhi, Morang, DSP, said that innocent people were assaulted on the basis of the rumour.