Video of clash in Hyderabad's Hari Nagar falsely peddled as communal riots during Makar Sankranti

Hyderabad: A video showing chaos in a residential area, accompanied by images of injured individuals, is circulating on social media. Those sharing the video are claiming that it shows an attack by Muslims on Hindus who were celebrating Makar Sankranti in Hyderabad.

NewsMeter received the video on its WhatsApp Tipline number (7482830440) for verification. The Telugu text, along with the video reads, “This is not Pakistan but our Hyderabad last night near Hari Nagar Borbandh, Hyderabad. Muslims all came in large numbers and attacked women, small children and adults celebrating Sankranti with iron rods, without sparing anyone and without any discrimination. Still, our Hindus do not need us, but they come to us.”

An X premium user, Neelam Bhargava Ram, shared videos and images depicting similar visuals, alleging that Hindus were assaulted by Muslims near Borabanda in Hyderabad. Bhargava further stated that an FIR concerning the incident has been filed at Santhnagar Police Station.

Fact Check

NewsMeter, in its investigation, found that the claims of a communal angle are misleading. Both the police and the main complainant in the case have refuted any communal aspect.

NewsMeter reached out to A Purender Reddy, inspector of Police at Santhnagar Police Station, who confirmed that the incident happened in Hari Nagar. He further clarified, "There is no communal angle involved and two accused were arrested."

One of the victims and the main complainant in the case, Baindla Jayanth Dharma Teja, speaking to NewsMeter, gave a detailed account of the incident. He confirmed no communal angle was involved in the incident. “We were attacked by around twenty people from both Muslim and Hindu communities,” Teja said. He named a few of them — Jai, Imran, Abbas, Rahul Nikhil, and Irfan, whom he knew before the incident took place.

According to him, the incident started when he and his friend Robin went to buy kites from a shop in Babbuguda. Robin entered into a quarrel with Abbas and Rahul because he spit beside their bike. Following this, Abbas and Rahul chased them to Teja’s aunt’s home and went away after quarrelling. They came again in big groups twice and attacked them. Tej confirmed that the injured persons seen in the video are his two uncles. On being specifically asked, Teja confirmed that he belongs to the scheduled caste Hindu community and his friend Robin belongs to the scheduled caste Christian community.

NewsMeter also accessed the FIR dated January 14, 2024. It confirms Teja, Robin, and others sustained injuries when attacked by a large group. The FIR mentions Rahul, Abbas, Jai, Imran, Nikhil, and others assaulted them with sticks, stones, bricks, and iron rods. Charges under sections 324, 326, 307, 147, 148, 506 r/w 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 3(1)(r)(s)(c), 3(2)(V) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act have been filed against the accused.

Hence, we conclude that the claim of communal angle is misleading. The attackers came from mixed religious backgrounds, and the primary conflict stemmed from a personal altercation.