Disturbing photographs of an injured, bloodied priest is being circulated on social media with the claim that two Bangladeshis brutally assaulted him. The incident occurred in Vrindavan in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh.
A priest sitting on the floor against a wall with injuries to his face and head can be seen in these photos.
A set of post alleges that the attack was carried out by Muslims, which suggests that the attack was communally motivated.
A Facebook page named ‘Dangerous Nationalist (translated from Hindi)’ wrote that Tamal Krishna Das, a Vaishnav saint, was mercilessly beaten by Muslims. He further claimed that all the assailants are absconding, two of whom are Bangladeshi, and Mathura police are trying to bury the case.
The post also referred to the Palghar lynching incident where three sadhus were killed. It must be noted here that the incident was not communally motivated. The investigation by the police had revealed that locals murdered the men, mistaking them for thieves.
The post has receives 2000 shares. Another Facebook user shared the photos with the same claim. That post has been shared almost 7000 times.
Claim:
A priest was brutally attacked by two Bangladeshi Muslims in Vrindavan.
Fact Check:
The claim is misleading.
Police Debunks Claim
Speaking to The Logical Indian, the SHO of Vrindavan police station, Sanjeev Kumar said that none of the accused are Muslims. He said that the sadhus being treated at the hospital.
‘There is no communal angle to the incident. These are all priests of the Imlitala Mutt. All of those involved in the dispute are Vaishnav saints except a security guard who is a local and a Hindu. The disciples of the current president and the ex-president entered into a fight over the opening of a locked room in the mutt,’ the official said.
He added that the reason behind the dispute was the unlocking of a room in the mutt.
‘Tamal Krishna Das started putting up locks in the rooms of the mutt, after being removed from his position of the trust president four years ago. When the guard came to open the door on May 11, Tamal Krishna Das stopped him from doing so. The guard told this to Govinda (another accused), who had asked him to open the door,’ he said.
The priest was punched by one of the accused in connection to this incident.
Tamal Krishna Das who is currently recovering has not lodged an FIR yet.
Further, in reply to one of the viral tweets propagating the claims mentioned above Mathura police said that an investigation into the matter was underway and that priest was being given medical assistance.
दिनाँक 11.05.2020 को थाना वृन्दावन क्षेत्र में दो साधुओं के मध्य हुये झगड़े के सम्बन्ध में विभिन्न सोशल मीडिया प्लेटफार्म पर चलायी जा रही असत्य खबर के सम्बन्ध में खण्डन । #UPAgainstFakeNews pic.twitter.com/7Du60gjqTm
— MATHURA POLICE (@mathurapolice) May 12, 2020
To another such tweet which has now been taken down, Mathura Police stated that the news of the Bangladeshi attack is not true.
Further a video byte of police inspector Sadar is attached with the tweet.
बंग्लादेशी हमलावार की खबर असत्य है गौडिय मठ के साधुओं का आपस में विवाद हुआ था । कृपया भ्रामक खबर न फैलायें । उक्त प्रकरण में मारपीट करने वाले मुख्य अभियुक्त की गिरफ्तारी व पुलिस द्वारा की जा रही कार्यवाही के सम्बन्ध में क्षेत्राधिकारी सदर द्वारा दी गयी बाइट। pic.twitter.com/bOlzAItOqy
— MATHURA POLICE (@mathurapolice) May 12, 2020
He clarified that the incident does not have a communal angle. He explained that in Gaudiya math in Imlitalia, Vrindavan, the followers of former chairman Tamal Das and incumbent chairman BP Sadhu got into a fight which led to Das’s injuries.
Therefore, the attack was due to personal disputes.
A person named Sachinanad has been identified as the prime accused and has been arrested. Two others who are absconding are Govinda and Jagannath. The police official also mentioned a security guard who goes by the name Govind Singh. He further informed that no FIR has been filed in connection to the case.
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