Fact Check: CRPF detain protestors in West Bengal ahead of polls? No, video is from Bangladesh

Hyderabad: West Bengal is set to vote in the 2026 Assembly Elections with polling scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29.

In the context of the upcoming polls, a video circulating on social media claims to show the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) detaining disruptors in Bengal. The video shows a group of armed personnel dragging and physically handling men in a public place amid chaos.

Several users shared the video on Facebook and X and wrote, “The atmosphere has changed in Bengal with the entry of CRPF. The miscreants are being dug out from the ground. No more talks now, straight-up tough action has begun.” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. An old video from Bangladesh was falsely shared as the CRPF detaining people in Bengal.

What does the analysis show?

We divided the video into several screenshots and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. The results revealed that the video is from Bangladesh.

A Bangladeshi media outlet named News 21 Bangla TV published the video on Facebook on January 11. The caption suggested that it shows the army in action after people blocked the Panchagarh road to protest the killing of Osman Hadi.

Who was Osman Hadi?

Sharif Osman Hadi, a Bangladeshi activist and youth leader, was shot by unidentified assailants in Dhaka on December 12, 2025. He died six days later while undergoing treatment in a Singapore hospital.

The Times of India, on December 19, 2025, reported that Hadi’s death triggered widespread protests across Bangladesh. Thousands took to the streets, blocked roads and demanded justice. Incidents of arson and violence were also reported in several cities.

We also found a local news report published by Dainik Lokalay on January 11 that featured screenshots of the viral video.

The reports stated that students staged protests demanding justice for Osman Hadi in Panchagarh. They held a rally and later blocked a major highway, which left hundreds of vehicles stranded for over an hour. The army allegedly baton-charged the protesters during the blockade. At least 23 people were injured in the clash. The protest ended later in the evening after organisers announced its conclusion.

Several other Bangladeshi media outlets (links here and here) published the video and reported it as a protest demanding justice for the killing of Hadi.

Therefore, we conclude that the claim is false.