Complaint filed against fake viral video spreading communal hate about Telangana
The video, which makes derogatory and fake allegations against the Muslim community, was edited
By Anoushka Caroline Williams Published on 20 July 2024 9:55 AM GMT
Hyderabad: A complaint has been lodged with the additional chief metropolitan magistrate in Hyderabad regarding a fake viral video spreading communal hatred against a specific community.
The complainant, Mohammed Majid Hussain said that the video, which makes derogatory and fake allegations against the Muslim community, was edited to deliberately incite communal hatred.
What is the viral video about?
According to Hussain, while browsing social media on July 19, he encountered a viral video that falsely depicted a member of the Muslim community urinating into a tub of confectioneries (Gulab Jamun) meant for hotel customers in Warangal, Telangana.
However, the extended version of the video shows at the end of the video that the person was only pouring liquid from a bottle into the pot of food and was not urinating into it. However, a cropped version of the video went viral with the fake claim.
Mohammed Majid Hussain (44), residing in Asif Nagar, brought the video to the notice of the assistant commissioner of police, Cyber Crime PS, CCS, DD, Hyderabad.
How a viral video is spreading false propaganda
Hussain identified the social media accounts responsible for circulating the video as @StringReveals and @MrSinha_. He claimed that the video was edited to create enmity between different communities and religions, disturbing peace and tranquillity in society. He emphasised that the video targeted the minority community and its leaders, potentially leading to communal discord.
Hussain referenced a fact-check article posted on X by @zoo_bear, which provided the original version of the video. The longer, unedited clip shows the man in the video pouring a transparent liquid from a bottle into the tub, debunking the false narrative that he was urinating into it.
NewsMeter also debunked the claim and showed that a prank is being paraded on social media as a hate crime in Telangana.
Hussain submitted screenshots and a pen drive containing the video as evidence for further investigation.
Hussain urged the authorities to take stringent action against the culprits and to delete the fake video. He expressed concern over the potential for such content to spread communal hatred and disrupt societal harmony.
The complaint was also marked to senior police officials, including the director general of police, Telangana, and the commissioner of police, Warangal. Hussainās appeal underscores the importance of addressing misinformation and preventing the spread of communal animosity through social media platforms.
