Fact Check: Viral image of police attacking saint is from Gujarat, not UP
An image of a police officer pulling a saint by hair is widely being shared on social media.
By Tejal Sinha Published on 10 Dec 2021 12:20 PM GMT
Hyderabad: An image of a police officer pulling a saint by hair is widely being shared on social media.
Users claim this incidence occurred in Uttar Pradesh when Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister. Users said during Mulayam Singh Yadav's tenure, police brutality against saints was at its peak.
Fact Check
The claim is False.
NewsMeter began its investigation by performing a Google Reverse Image Search which led us to a report on the website of 'Sant Shri Asaramji Asaram' published on December 06, 2009. The report had also published the viral image.
"As per a recent report published in a Gujarati daily, Raju Chandak (alias Raju Lambu) was allegedly shot at by two people. The daily further states that three bullets had hit him. After being shot, he rode his motorbike back to his residence. Gujarati daily further reports that Chandak was wearing a thick jacket and three bullets didn't harm any of his vital body parts. He was taken to the hospital and discharged since there were no serious injuries. Police confirmed that he was safe. Raju Lambu has alleged that Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu had plotted to kill him," read the report.
Meanwhile, the viral image was also used in another report on the same website titled 'Attack on Indian Culture, Humanity, Hinduism & Saints'. The report was published on November 27, 2009.
"Breaking all boundaries of vandalism, the act of beastly violence that was executed by the police today at Sant Shri Asaramji Ashram can terrify and shake the heart. The rally that was drawn in protest against the Sandesh newspaper saw their miscreants getting into the crowd and instigating the people to pelt stones at the police. In the resulting violence that ensued, some senior police officials and other police staff were injured in the attack. One or two senior officials also suffered head injuries. Police brutally assaulted about three to four hundred participants in the rally," the report reads.
Taking a cue from this, the team searched for more similar articles which led us to the website 'Newswire'.
The team found a video report on the YouTube channel of ' Sant Shri Asharamji Ashram' uploaded on June 02, 2016. The team found similar visuals that can be seen in the video from 01:52 minutes.
According to the description of the video, "Court Admonishes Police, 244 Sadhakas acquitted in Sant Asaram Bapu Ji Ashram Case."
The team lastly found a video news report on the YouTube channel of 'Aaj Tak' aired on November 30, 2009. The description of the video reads, "Gandhinagar police detain 200 supporters of Ashram Bapu at his ashram following clashes." The visuals in the video can be seen from 0:50 seconds.
It is therefore evident that the claim is False. The viral video is from Gujarat, not Uttar Pradesh. The video has nothing to do with Mulayam Singh Yadav.
