Fact Check:  No, Police Official In Viral Video Is Not Warning Against Child-Kidnappers Prowling In Gorakhpur

Fact Check: No, Police Official In Viral Video Is Not Warning Against Child-Kidnappers Prowling In Gorakhpur

A video is being circulated on WhatsApp to create fear among the public. The video has a police officer in it, and it has a voice-over claiming that he is warning people against the child-lifters roaming in the Gorakhpur city. The Logical Indian Fact Check team debunks the video.

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A police officer's video warning the people against the illegal organ traders is being shared on social media. The video shows a police officer purportedly warning people against the rise in organ trading cases in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

In the video the narrator can be heard saying, "We request you to not open doors for any garbage collectors, sadhus, hawkers, beggars. Do not talk to them, just make noise and send them away. Do not utter the words "no one is at home right now, come later, or leave" even by mistake. If you have a dog, then unleash him. Do not open the main gate. Take care of yourself and your children. Stay alert, and stay safe. Today, we received a report that 500 people, disguised as beggars, have come from Bargadwa. They are killing people on their way and selling their hearts and kidneys. Around 6-7 people have been held, who accepted that there are over 500 people on a prowl. Forward this message to all your friends and family members. Please stay safe. Gangs of 15-20 people are prowling. These people have women and children accompanying them and also have weapons. These people mainly come at midnight. So when you hear the cries of children, please do not open your doors. Share the message to maximum groups. This message should be viral in 2-3 days. Your safety is in your hands. Stay safe. Issued in the public interest, Gorakhpur police. This is said by SP (city) Dr Kaustab while talking to Gorakhpur news."

The Logical Indian received the video on its Whatsapp number +91 6364000343 for verification.


Claim:

Gorakhpur SP Kaustubh has warned people against the illegal organ-traders and child-lifters.

Fact Check:

On the top right-hand corner of the video, Gorakhpur News is written. We searched for the video and found a YouTube channel, Gorakhpur News, where a similar video was uploaded on September 12, 2019. At around 1: 09 sec, the SP can be heard refuting a viral claim about child-lifters.

We checked and found that the viral video is visually the same as the original video. Both the videos have the same image in the background, have the same tickers, the same logo and also the same video on the top left corner.

Screenshot of the original video. The link can be seen here.

In the original video, the SP can be heard saying, "It is viral on social media viral that Gorapkhpur police has warned people against a group of child kidnapper and illegal organ traders, but this claim is fake. There is no such group of people in Gorakhpur. If anyone gets any information in this regard, please inform it to police, Police are alert in this regard. In last one month, no such incidents have been reported. We will also be alert in future if any such incident happens. If you see any suspicious person or thing around you, inform the police of that locality, or call at 100. Don't take any actions from your end."

In the original video, the anchor also said that some miscreants had taken a part of the video from an earlier published report. The miscreants took a part of the video where SP Dr Kaustubh denies any hoax of child-lifters prowling in Gorakhpur and shared it with a voice-over having fake narration.

The Logical Indian spoke to the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of SP Dr Kaustubh, who said, "We are aware of this video, SP sir never spoke anything like that, the video is fake". He also told us that the complaint has been filed with Gorakhpaur police in this regard.

The same video also went viral in 2019, when The Alt News had debunked the claim at that time.

According to AltNews, the video on the top left corner were of the mentally challenged people who were beaten for being misidentified as child kidnappers. The woman in the viral video was mentally challenged whom villagers in Dimrauni village of UP's Jhansi district held hostage after misidentifying her as child lifter. Similarly, the man dressed in a woman's clothes was also mentally-challenged who was beaten by a Jhansi mob.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.

Also Read: Fact Check: Morphed Image Of The News Minute's Article On Mohammad Azharuddeen Goes Viral On Social Media

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Editor : Bharat Nayak
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