Fact Check: Video of women being sexually harassed is from UP in 2017, not West Bengal
The incident took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur in 2017.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 16 Feb 2024 6:46 PM IST
Screengrabs from the misleading post. (Source: X/@ajaychauhan41)
Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan’s home in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, last month. Sheikh Shahjahan has been currently absconding ever since and several women have come forward afterwards narrating stories of alleged horrific sexual exploitation by the Trinamool leader and his henchmen in the Trinamool party office. It has led to a political war between the ruling TMC and the Opposition BJP.
In this context, a disturbing video of a group of men groping and molesting two women as they try to defend themselves is making the rounds on social media, claiming that the incident took place in West Bengal.
“This is the condition of our Hindu women in West Bengal. It is very unfortunate especially when the chief minister of the state, Mamata Banerjee, is a woman. In the greed of vote bank, illegal Rohingyas and Bangladeshis have destroyed West Bengal, (translated from Hindi)” wrote an X user while sharing the video (disturbing content: viewer discretion advised).
(Source: X/@ajaychauhan41)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the incident took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur in 2017.
Upon a reverse image search of the video’s keyframe, we found the video in a report by The Times of India on May 29, 2017. The report was titled, ‘14 men molest two women in broad daylight in UP’s Rampur, posts video online; 1 held.’
According to the report, the incident occurred in broad daylight in a village under Tanda police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur. It mentioned that an FIR has been registered against 14 people who were involved in the groping and molestation of two men.
(Source: TOI)
According to a report by Hindustan Times (Rampur molestation: Police arrest 12 out of 14 suspects, to slap NSA on four) on May 31, 2017, 12 out of 14 suspects were arrested in the Rampur molestation case of two Dalit women. It mentioned that the police have charged the accused under Sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 354B (assault or use of force on women with intent to disrobe) of the IPC, besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
It also mentioned that the four suspects, Shahnawaz Qadri, Saddam Khan, Naved and Farhan, were charged under the National Security Act because the incident affected public order in the area.
During our investigation, we found that the video was viral in 2022 also, blaming the Samajwadi Party for the incident. UP police fact-check X handle, replying to the misleading post, clarified that the incident happened in 2017. It mentioned that the case was registered at Tanda police station, and legal action has been taken under the National Security Act (NSA).
Hence, we conclude that the video showing women being sexually harassed is from UP, not West Bengal.
