Fact Check: Vandals in MP’s Mhow publicly caned for anti-India slogans after Champions Trophy win? Find the facts here

Hyderabad: On March 9, following a victory procession celebrating the Indian cricket team’s Champions Trophy win, communal violence reportedly erupted in the sensitive Dr Ambedkar Nagar-Mhow town of Indore district in western Madhya Pradesh. Police apprehended 12 persons in connection with the incident.

Amid this, a video circulating on social media shows police caning several young men and making them do sit-ups. The clip is being shared with the claim that it shows officers punishing rioters who allegedly set vehicles on fire and raised anti-national slogans against India’s victory in the Champions Trophy.

An X user, mocking the alleged rioters, shared the video and wrote, “Rioters in Mhow set vehicles on fire and raised slogans against India’s win, disrupting the atmosphere. In response, the police ‘offered prasad,’ performed ‘aarti,’ and ‘congratulated’ them on the victory.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The video is from 2015.

A reverse image search led us to a video report by ABP News, which featured the same visuals of police caning the individuals. The report, published on May 29, 2015, stated that the video showed police publicly thrashing criminals on the streets.

According to the channel, in May 2015, the Indore police launched a crackdown to curb rising crime. As part of this operation, several individuals were arrested, publicly paraded and beaten with lathis. The drive was conducted across 15 police stations with over 50 such parades organised to deter criminals and reassure the public. Authorities stated that the initiative aimed to apprehend wanted criminals, update police records and prevent future disputes. As part of the crackdown, suspects were taken from their homes, marched through their localities and then escorted to the police station.

We also found similar visuals in video reports published by Aaj Tak and India TV in May 2015. According to these reports, Indore police had launched a full-scale crackdown to curb the rising crime rate in the city. As part of the operation, local criminals were publicly thrashed and paraded at the major crossings of the city.

We also found a screengrab of visuals similar to the viral video in a May 2015 Hindustan Times report titled “Citizens bear the brunt of the police drive against ‘goondas’ in Indore.”

According to the report, during the Indore police’s anti-goonda drive, around 1,700 anti-social elements were apprehended or rounded up within a week, with the numbers increasing daily. The operation involved a team of 40 to 50 constables, led by the area CSP and the local station-in-charge, entering targeted areas—mainly slums—to round up petty criminals. Those who attempted to escape were chased down and subdued. They were then publicly paraded and beaten, often in full view of the public and TV cameras.

Therefore, we conclude that the video of the anti-goonda drive by Indore police in 2015 is being falsely linked to violence in Mhow after India’s Champions Trophy victory.