Fact Check: Woman who drove car on railway tracks in Telangana is a Muslim? No, here’s the truth
A video claiming that a Muslim woman drove a car onto the railway tracks in Telangana has gone viral on social media.
By M Ramesh Naik
Claim:The woman who drove a car on the railway tracks in Telangana is a Muslim.
Fact:The claim is false. Inspector K Srinivas Goud of Shankarpally Police identified the woman as Vomika Soni and confirmed that she is not a Muslim.
Hyderabad: A bizarre incident from Telangana’s Shankarpally town has gone viral online. A video circulating on social media shows a white car stuck on the railway tracks, with locals gathered around, seemingly puzzled by the scene.
By the end of the video, they pull a woman out from the driver’s seat who is wearing a face and head mask. Those sharing the video claim that the video is from Telangana and it shows a Muslim woman who drove the car onto the tracks.
The video was shared by X user with the caption, “Fatima isn’t forgetting her jihad’s purpose. But how did this car end up on the railway tracks!? And what was its purpose!? This needs a thorough investigation. This video is said to be from Telangana, which is a non-BJP state.” (Translated from Hindi) (Archive)
The footage shows a white vehicle dangerously positioned between the rails. People are seen pointing and discussing, while a rural backdrop and overhead electric lines indicate the setting is indeed a railway line.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the viral claim is false. While it is true that the incident occurred in Hyderabad, Telangana, the woman driver was identified as Vomika Soni. She is not a Muslim. The information was also confirmed by inspector K Srinivas Goud of Shankarpally Police, under whose jurisdiction the incident took place.
Using keyword searches, we found a report by The Hindu dated June 28, which clearly stated that Vomika Soni, a native of Lucknow currently residing in Shankarpally in Hyderabad, drove her white SUV onto the railway tracks in the area. A video of the incident, now viral on social media, shows her vehicle speeding down the tracks as railway personnel attempt to intervene and stop her.
Another article by Hindustan Times on June 27 also confirmed the identity of the driver as Vomika Soni. According to the report, Shankarpally Police Inspector K Srinivas Goud stated that preliminary investigation suggested Vomika Soni was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
“She resisted efforts to stop her and allegedly threw stones at bystanders,” Goud said. “She even attempted to attack police officers who tried to detain her.”
Soni was eventually handed over to the railway police, who booked her for trespassing on railway property and will present her before a magistrate for judicial remand.
In addition to the railway case, the local police have filed charges against her under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including offences related to creating a public nuisance, assaulting public servants, obstructing their duties and damaging public property, Goud added.
NewsMeter also contacted Shankarpally Police inspector K Srinivas Goud for clarification.
Speaking to NewsMeter, Goud confirmed, “Based on her name and the case details, she is not Muslim. Nowhere in our investigation is religion mentioned. We’ve already clarified that she is not Muslim.”
Therefore, the viral claim that a Muslim woman drove a car onto railway tracks in Telangana is misleading. The woman involved is Vomika Soni, and she is not Muslim.
