Rumours about a spate of abductions from schools in south Calcutta have triggered an alarm and emergency beef-ups among schools, guardians and police.

For the past 15 days, some schools in Regent Park, Behala, Thakurpukur, Sonarpur, Garia and Jadavpur have reportedly received letters and calls threatening to abduct children.

Some panic-stricken guardians stopped sending their children to school. “I kept my son back for a few days after I heard the rumour, but now I realise the situation is not that scary,” said Anushua Mullik, a resident of Bagha Jatin.

Usha Mehta, principal of BD Memorial, a CBSE school with branches in Regent Park, Jadavpur and Sonarpur, said: “I have neither received any letter nor any call, but I have asked guardians to drop their children to school and collect them after class. I have tightened the school’s security system, too, asking the guards not to allow anybody access without checking his identity.”

Putting all police stations in the area on high alert, Rajesh Subarno, additional superintendent of police, South 24-Parganas, said: “No complaints have been lodged with us, but we are not taking any risks.”

The following security measures have been taken:

• Regular patrolling near schools, specially when children enter and leave the premises

• Immediate detention and arrest of suspicious individuals from within 100 metres of schools

• Interaction with teachers to find out whether they are feeling threatened

• Counselling of parents so they remain unfazed by the rumours.