Police have closed 60 Facebook pages, 10 websites and 25 YouTube channels in Bangladesh in a bid to stop more deaths after 30 other people were attacked over the claims.
The bizarre conspiracy theory claimed children were being abducted and killed as a sacrificial offering during the construction of the new Padma Bridge.
Police have confirmed the six men and two women killed were not involved in harming children and believe the rumours started after claims a man was spotted carrying a child’s head.
Police chief Javed Patwary told reporters, 'Those who were killed by lynching mobs, no-one was a child kidnapper.'
One victim, single mum, Taslima Begum, who had two children, who was beaten to death by a mob in front of a school in Dhaka.
Eight people have been arrested in connection with her murder with five more arrested over the social media falsehoods.
Police are reportedly using loudspeakers to try to dispel the rumours.
