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Fact Check: Video Of Man Being Thrashed In Delhi Goes With False Coronavirus Claims
Delhi, 12 April 2020 5:14 AM GMT | Updated 12 April 2020 6:52 AM GMT
Editor : Bharat Nayak |
As the founding editor, Bharat had been heading the newsroom during the formation years of the organization and worked towards editorial policies, conceptualizing and designing campaign strategies and collaborations. He believes that through the use of digital media, one could engage the millennial's in rational conversations about pertinent social issues, provoking them to think and bring a behavioral change accordingly.
By : Aditi Chattopadhyay
Aditi, part of the fact checking team of The Logical Indian likes to read, write, cook and laugh, in short live life as it is supposed to be. What makes her fascinated is to discover the truth behind a story and more often than not, it is either fact or myth at the end.
The Logical Indian Fact check team investigates the claim that a 22-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death in Delhi's Bawana after he was suspected of a conspiracy to spread COVID-19.
A two-minute video clip showing a group of men aggressively interrogating a man is doing the rounds on social media on social media. The men can be heard asking the man questions like – "who taught you this?" and "what is your plan? (translated from Haryanvi)"
The men further threaten to pour oil on the man and immolate him. The man being harassed in the video is seemingly severely injured – there is blood on his head, chest and legs.
Netizens on Twitter and Facebook have circulated the video with the claim that the man used an injection filled with saliva on fruits to spread the novel coronavirus.
The caption of the viral posts read, "Found in Bawana. Planned to fill fruits with an injection filled with spit. After all, what do these people want? (translated from Hindi)"
A Facebook page 'Resurging Hinduism' posted the viral video which has been shared at least 1,200 times and has garnered over 1,500 reactions.
Several media houses also published a report on a similar incident based on a PTI (Press Trust of India) quote from the police on April 9. These news agencies include IndiaTV, Huffington Post and The Quint.
"A 22-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death in Delhi's Bawana after he was suspected of a conspiracy to spread COVID-19," PTI quoted the police as saying.
Claim:
A 22-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death in Delhi's Bawana after he was suspected of a conspiracy to spread COVID-19.
Fact-check:
The claim is misleading.
A simple keyword search on google reveals an article published by The Hindu on April 6. According to the report, Shamshad Ali, a 30-year-old man, was beaten by a group of men in Harewali village in Bawana in outer-north Delhi suspecting him of spreading coronavirus.
According to reports by the Indian Express, Times Now and Catch News on the same incident the man (22) is called Dilshad alias, Mehboob Ali.
Alt News reported that the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Bawana has confirmed the man in the video is 22-year-old is Ali.
Incident Not Related To Injecting Fruits
According to the ACP of Bawana, Ali had actually gone to attend a jamaat in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
On his way back to Delhi in a truck, he was stopped by the police and taken to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for coronavirus screening. Ali was allowed to go home because he did not show any symptoms, he was then attacked by three men who have now been arrested.
"Naveen, 30 years old, Prashant 26 years old, Pramod 30 years old have been arrested in case FIR No. 189/2020 under Section 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), Section 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), Section 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) and Section 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code by the Bawana Police Station," Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal was quoted as saying.
Ali too has been booked under Section 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) for breaking the lockdown protocol.
PTI Misreports
According to Mittal, Ali is still admitted in Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital, Delhi as a suspected coronavirus patient.
Therefore, PTI misreported.
The Hindu misidentified him as a 30-year-old Shamshad Ali. The man who was harassed is 22-year-old Dilshad Ali or Mehboob.
Media, however, reported that he succumbed to the attack, and social media added a false communal colour to the incident.
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: Are COVID-19 Dead Bodies Being Dumped In Sea?
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