A bizarre and baseless rumor about “genital theft” has fueled widespread mob violence in at least eight African countries. An investigation by the BBC’s Global Disinformation Unit found that more than 80 people have been killed as a result of this superstition and rumor between October last year and July this year.
The BBC Global Disinformation Unit gathered this information from police forces in the countries concerned.
The killings are linked to a rumor claiming that a mere tap on the back can cause a man’s genitals to shrink or vanish. The rumor has intensified further as false information spreads on social media.
Boniface Mgala, a mechanic in Tanzania, told the BBC that a crowd surrounded him and a friend, accusing them of stealing someone’s genitals. They were then attacked.
Videos verified by the BBC provide evidence of several such incidents.
Recent events across Africa stand as a chilling example of how a false rumor can turn into deadly mob violence in an instant.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report