Fact Check: Hyderabad video does not show attack on Ram Navami Procession
As the country celebrates Ram Navami on March 27, a video is going viral on social media with claims that it shows communal clashes on the occasion.
By - K Sherly Sharon
Claim:Video shows members of Muslim community attacking a Ram Navami procession.
Fact:Misleading. The video shows minor tensions that prevailed near Amberpet’s Jama Masjid in Hyderabad as a Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti procession passed in front of it, on February 19.
Hyderabad: Ram Navami was celebrated across the country on March 27. A video is now going viral on social media with claims that it shows communal clashes on the festival day.
The video shows police personnel managing members of both groups and preventing the situation from escalating. The video was shared by an X user ‘HindutvaDon_’ with the caption, “As expected, Jihadist attack on Ram Navami processions.” (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading. The video shows minor tensions that prevailed near Amberpet’s Jama Masjid in Hyderabad as a Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti procession passed in front of it, on February 19.
Using reverse image searches we found the same footage shared to Instagram by ‘news9live’. This post contains several videos of the incident from different angles. The caption on the post states that the video shows a brief spell of communal tension that was reported near Jama Masjid in Amberpet of Hyderabad on February 19.
The post also stated that this took place during a procession on the occasion of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti which was on the same day (February 19).
Using keyword searches, we found similar videos from the same incident uploaded to YouTube by The Siasat Daily and CNN News18, stating that they were from tensions that erupted during a Shivaji Jayanti procession.
We also found several news reports from February on the incident, published by Deccan Chronicle, The Hindu, and Times of India. These reports state that on the night of February 19, Ramzan Taraweeh prayers were underway at Amberpet’s Jama Masjid when a Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti procession passed in front of the mosque. The same sequence of events is visible in one of the videos shared in the ‘news9live’ Instagram post.
Participants in a Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti procession raised slogans near the masjid. The sound from the mosque was also above the prescribed levels to which some members of the procession objected. The situation was quickly brought under control as police personnel present there mediated between the groups.
NewsMeter spoke to Amberpet SHO T Kiran Kumar who was present at the incident on the day and was one of the police personnel who intervened. He said that the groups did not attack each other and the incident was entirely regarding the noise levels.
“The Ramzan special Taraweeh prayers at the masjid are attended by a large crowd of people from in and around Amberpet. As the procession passed in front of the masjid, we asked the organisers to decrease the sound level of the DJ music. Meanwhile, some youth taking part in the masjid had come down. Slogans were raised by both parties.”
He further said, “However, the police mediated and brought the situation under control quickly. There were no attacks made by one group against another. However, one man who identified himself as a YouTube creator was attacked, so we booked a case against those who attacked him.”
It is clear that the video does not show communal attacks against a Ram Navami procession.
It shows minor tensions that took place near Amberpet Jama Masjid during Taraweeh prayers as a Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti procession passed in front of it on February 19. Both groups raised slogans.
Therefore, NewsMeter concludes that the viral claims are misleading.
