Fact Check: Kashmiri dry fruit hawker harassed in Haryana? No, video is a prank
A video has been circulating online, claiming it shows harassment of a Kashmiri hawker in Haryana.
By - Md Mahfooz Alam
Claim:The video shows harassment of a Kashmiri hawker in Haryana.
Fact:The claim is false. The video is a prank on a Kashmiri hawker by the wrestler Badshah Khan, who also hails from Kashmir.
Recently, there have been several incidents of hawkers from Kashmir selling shawls or dryfruits being harassed in other states.
In this context, a video of a physically built man with long hair shouting at a dry fruit seller has been circulating on social media, with claims that it shows the harassment of a Kashmiri hawker in Haryana.
A Facebook user shared the video with the caption, “It is absolutely wrong to mistreat people selling Kashmiri shawls and dry fruits outside of Kashmir. This cannot be accepted under any circumstances; the Jammu and Kashmir government and the central government should take immediate steps to stop such wrongful behaviour and ensure that those responsible receive strict punishment.” (Translated from Hindi)
A reverse image search of the video's keyframes led us to the same footage posted by an X user on January 22, who also claimed the video showed harassment of a Kashmiri hawker.
However, when we reviewed the comments on the post, we found several people stating that the video was scripted. (Click here, here, and here to see the replies.)
Another user in the comments shared a video showing the well-built man, who identifies himself as Badshah Khan, and the hawker embracing and sharing a warm moment. Khan says he is from Kashmir and explains that he creates impromptu videos in which he playfully scares people. The hawker confirms that while he was initially frightened, he soon realised it was just a joke.
When and who posted the viral video first?
The same user also shared a screenshot of the Instagram account ‘Badshah Khan wrestler.’ Using these clues, we found the viral video posted by Khan on January 20 with hashtags including #fun, #prank, #comedy, and #funnyvideos. The hashtags confirm the video is not an actual incident of harassment.
On January 21, Khan posted a follow-up video showing the lighter moment with the hawker, clarifying that the original video was a prank and not a real incident of harassment.
Also, a story in the highlights section of Khan’s Instagram account clearly states that the videos he posts are created for entertainment purposes.
Who is Badshah Khan?
In several videos, Khan is seen in a wrestling ring at Continental Wrestling Entertainment (CWE), the wrestling academy founded by The Great Khali. He has also shared videos featuring Khali.
According to media reports, Khan is the first professional wrestler from Jammu and Kashmir. His original name is Arif Saleem Bohru, and he earned the ring name Badshah Khan from Indian wrestling icon The Great Khali, who is also his trainer.
Therefore, we conclude that the viral video is a prank and does not depict a real incident of harassment. The claim is false.
