Fact Check: Video of YSRCP activist axed to death in AP falsely shared as from Delhi with communal spin
NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the incident occurred in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 30 July 2024 2:47 PM GMT
Claim: The video shows a Muslim man named Javed hacking a Hindu youth named Rohit to death in Delhi.
Fact: The claim is false. The incident happened in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu on July 17. It shows a YSRCP leader Rashid brutally murdered with an axe by Jilani.
Hyderabad: A disturbing video has been circulating on social media, showing a man brutally assaulting another person with a sharp weapon. The accompanying claim states that a Muslim man named Javed killed a Hindu youth named Rohit in Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan area.
Sharing the video on X (warning: violent content), a user wrote, “The incident in Sarai Kale Khan, Delhi, involved a jihadist named Javed who brutally killed a Hindu youth named Rohit. Honourable Sir, if this beast committed such an act without any reason, solely based on religion, then a live encounter should be shown, running him down and ending him. Regardless of the religion or land, anyone who does such a thing should not be allowed to live. Please take action.” (Translated from Hindi)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the incident occurred in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu.
Upon conducting a reverse image of the video’s keyframe, we found it in a report published by NewsMeter on July 18, titled ‘Monstrous Murder: YSRCP activist brutally axed to death in Palnadu, section 144 imposed.’
According to the report, a young YSRCP activist named Rashid was brutally murdered with an axe by Jilani, reportedly a TDP activist, in Vinukonda town, Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh. The attacker also severed his hands and the victim suffered a deep cut on his neck, causing him to bleed to death. The report also mentioned that Palnadu SP Kanchi Srinivas Rao said Jilani killed Rashid due to personal rivalry which happened at around 8.30 pm on July 17.
The Indian Express reported the incident on July 19. According to the newspaper, the assault lasted nearly five minutes on a busy road near the Mandlamandi bus station, witnessed by dozens of people. Jilani, who appeared to be inebriated, continued attacking Rashid with the sickle even after Rashid fell to the ground in a semi-conscious state. By the time the police arrived, the accused had fled. Rashid was taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead.
The newspaper also mentioned that Palnadu Superintendent of Police (SP) K Srinivasa Rao ruled out political rivalry stating they knew each other and had a fallout over personal issues.
India Today and The Times of India also reported the incident with the same claim.
Hence, we conclude that the viral video is from Andhra Pradesh, not Delhi. Also, the claim that it shows a person named Javed killing a Hindu person called Rohit is false.
