Fact Check: Shooting incident of Imam in UP’s Meerut shared with communal twist
NewsMeter found the claim is false as the victim and accused belong to the same community
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 7 Oct 2024 3:20 PM GMT
Claim: An Imam (Muslim religious leader), was shot by a Hindu group in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, while he was teaching Quran recitation to students.
Fact: The claim is false. Meerut police have confirmed that the victim, Naeem, and the accused, Sartaj, belong to the Muslim community, dismissing any communal angle.
A video circulating on social media shows a bearded man in a hospital, with a bandage wrapped around his head and an oxygen mask. Those sharing the video claim that the man, an Imam (Muslim religious leader), was shot by a Hindu group in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, while he was teaching Quran recitation to students.
An X user shared the video and wrote, “In Meerut, UP, the Imam of Qasmi Masjid in Lisari Gate was shot while teaching children to recite the Quran. A Hindu group entered the mosque, fired at him, and fled, leaving the weapon behind. Imam Naeem is in critical condition.” (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found the claim is false as the victim and accused belong to the same community.
We ran a keyword search and found a statement on the official X handle of the Meerut police, regarding the incident. It clarified that the incident took place on October 6 in the Samar Garden area, under the Lisari Gate police station.The statement dismissed any communal angle, noting that both the victim, Naeem, and the accused, Sartaj, are from the Muslim community. The statement also mentioned that a case has been registered against the accused at Lisadi Gate police station, and efforts are ongoing to arrest him.
Meerut police also confirmed in a video statement that Sartaj who is mentally ill shot Naeem, a Maulana at a mosque, due to personal animosity. Naeem has been admitted to the hospital and is in stable condition. Two police teams are actively working to arrest Sartaj.
Times of India on October 6 quoting SSP Meerut Vipin Tada reported, “Naeem and Sartaz had some estrangement following a verbal argument a few days ago.Naeem, who is also a ‘hakeem' (a physician of Islamic and Ayurvedic medicine), treated Sartaj for his memory problems. On Sunday, Sartaj came to the mosque, fired at Naeem, and fled, leaving his firearm behind.”
Media outlets, including TV9, Hindustan, and Dainik Bhaskar, reported the incident on October 7 with the same details. According to TV9, Sartaj has surrendered in Delhi.
Hence, we conclude that the claim of Imam Naeem being shot by a Hindu group in UP’s Meerut is false.
