Fact Check: Social Media Users Falsely Claim Labour Activist Shiv Kumar Has No Injury In His Leg

Image Credit: Twitter

Fact Check: Social Media Users Falsely Claim Labour Activist Shiv Kumar Has No Injury In His Leg

Netizens are sharing posts claiming Labour Activist Shiv Kumar had no bandage on his leg while coming out of jail and he is pretending to have a leg injury to gain public attention. However, The Logical Indian Fact-Check team found the claim to be fake.

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Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan (MAS) president Shiv Kumar was released from jail on March 4, 2021. He was arrested from the Singhu border on January 16, four days after the arrest of activist Noudeep Kaur, who, along with other MAS members, was protesting against the factory owners at Kundli Industrial Area, Haryana, asking them to pay the due wages of the labourers. Kumar was arrested on charges of extortion and attempt to murder in connection with a dispute related to factory workers. He was later sent to judicial custody on February 12. Kumar has accused police of custodial tortures. While speaking to the Indian Express, he said, "I wasn't even at the Kundli factory where the incident took place but police picked me up on January 16. They tortured me. For the next six days, I was beaten almost every day…They hurled casteist slurs and abuses at me. I didn't do anything wrong. After my parents found out about the arrest and the beatings, police mentally harassed me… I was scared for my life. I was tortured and made to give false statements. I am going to PGIMS (Chandigarh) now. I am not feeling well."

Kumar took to Twitter to inform about his today's (March 5) hospital visit along with the caption, which translates in English as "I have come to Chandigarh hospital just after jail...Lots of effort was made in jail to break my spirit... they were only able to break my legs...I have become strong with you all...How big are your jails I have seen and I will see."

In the backdrop to this, many social media users are sharing a screenshot of Kumar's tweet and an image of when he was coming out of jail. The post is being shared with a claim that Kumar was not having plaster in the leg while he came out of jail, and to gain public attention, he got a plaster done in the hospital. The images are shared with the caption, "He was standing, walking properly while coming out of jail yesterday. Today he is roaming around with plaster on his leg to claim police brutality. Gajab Drama"

The post is widely shared on Twitter.

Claim:

Shiv Kumar's right leg was not plastered while he came out of jail.

Fact Check:

The Logical Indian did a Google keyword search and came across a video published by a YouTube channel, Pehredar Punjab TV on March 4. The video was of the time when Shiv Kumar was released from jail.

At around the 2:29 timestamp, the video focuses on the plastered leg of Kumar.


A shorter version of the same video can also be seen on the YouTube channel of Jansatta. While the plastered leg is not visible but one can see Kumar limping.

The Indian Express in its report on the bail of activist Shiv Kumar has also mentioned that while walking out of prison, Kumar had a white bandage on his leg.

The Logical Indian contacted Kumar's friend Ankit, who said that Kumar is having injuries and the medical report of which has been shared with the Punjab and Haryana high court by a team of doctors of Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh (GHMH). Ankit also shared the medical report with us.

According to the medical report, Kumar is walking with a slight limp and has a fracture in the right leg.


Hence, an image of Kumar's upper body is circulating with a fake claim that Kumar's didn't have any leg injuries.

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: INC Chhattisgarh Falsely Claimed AAP Candidate Forfeited Security Deposit In MCD By-Elections

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