Fact Check: Viral Photo Of Amar Jawan Memorial Vandalism Not Of Anti-CAA Protests

Recently, a photo has gone viral on Facebook which shows two people damaging the Amar Jawan Memorial in Azad Maidan, Mumbai. A caption along with the photo states that the photograph is from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act(CAA) protests.

The caption reads, “The government should not delay the implementation of NRC, because today these people are damaging the Amar Shahid Jawan Memorial, they can damage anything tomorrow.”

The post has got around 200 shares so far.

Fact Check

The photograph clicked by Atul Kamble, a photographer with the Mid-Day Newspaper, viral in 2012 during the Azad Maidan riots in Mumbai. The photograph shows two protestors, Abdul Qadir and Nazir Noor Mohammad vandalising the memorial. The photo was clicked on August 11 the same year. The images had sparked national outrage with media organisations circulating the photographs to nab the culprits.

Raza Academy, a Mumbai based Sufi Research Academy, had obtained permission from the police to protest at Azad Maidan on August 11. But, around 40,000 people had gathered after the word spread, allegedly through SMSes. Two people were killed, 46 injured, vehicles were torched and around 5 women constables were molested by the mob.

Conclusion

These viral photographs are in no way related to the anti-CAA protests happening across the country and are misleading in the context of the protests. Hence, the claim that these were CAA protestors is false.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at [email protected]

Also Read: Fact Check: Mock Drill By Jharkhand Police Passed Off As Assam Police Shooting Protesters