{"id":42457,"date":"2019-07-29T21:39:37","date_gmt":"2019-07-29T16:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=42457"},"modified":"2019-07-30T19:02:01","modified_gmt":"2019-07-30T13:32:01","slug":"shiva-idol-in-maharashtra-vandalised-by-muslims-initial-probe-says-damage-by-lightning-strike","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/shiva-idol-in-maharashtra-vandalised-by-muslims-initial-probe-says-damage-by-lightning-strike\/","title":{"rendered":"Shiva idol in Maharashtra vandalised by Muslims? Initial probe says damage by lightning strike"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A viral claim on social media suggests that a 400-year-old Shiva statue in Pratapgarh, Gondia district in Maharashtra was desecrated by members of the Muslim community. One of the firsts to float the claim was Twitter user <em>@craziestlazy<\/em> (<a href=\"http:\/\/archive.is\/XHUwP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">archive<\/a>).<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">But today afternoon I got news by local media that the Statue of lord Shiva vandalised by peaceful.<br \/>\nActually peaceful not broke the Statue they broke social harmony, trust and all in one go.<br \/>\nThis is a lesson for us all that they teach us is &#8220;Fuck Ganga Jamuni Tehzjeeb&#8221;.\ud83d\ude4f<br \/>\n3\/3 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lXqS6MYmMv\">pic.twitter.com\/lXqS6MYmMv<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 A\u0337\u0304\u0305\u0308\u0346\u0309\u031a\u0314\u0322bhyuday HMP (@craziestlazy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/craziestlazy\/status\/1154752994975440898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 26, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>A slightly altered message in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/search\/top\/?q=%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%AB%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BC&amp;opensearch=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hindi<\/a> claims that the incident took place in Morgaon &#8211; <em>&#8220;\u0939\u093f\u0902\u0926\u0941\u0913 \u0915\u0947 \u092a\u0935\u093f\u0924\u094d\u0930 \u0938\u093e\u0935\u0928 \u092e\u0939\u0940\u0928\u0947 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092e\u0939\u093e\u0930\u093e\u0937\u094d\u091f\u094d\u0930 \u0915\u0947 \u092e\u094b\u0930\u0917\u093e\u0902\u0935 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092e\u0939\u093e\u0926\u0947\u0935\u0915\u0940 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u093e\u091a\u0940\u0928 \u092e\u0902\u0926\u093f\u0930\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0924\u094b\u0921\u093c\u092b\u094b\u0921\u093c \u0915\u0940 \u0917\u0908 \u0914\u0930 \u092e\u0939\u093e\u0926\u0947\u0935\u0915\u0940 \u092e\u0942\u0930\u094d\u0924\u093f \u0915\u094b \u0906\u0917 \u0932\u0917\u093e \u0926\u0940 \u0917\u092f\u0940\u0964 Narendra Modi \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0938\u093f\u0930\u094d\u092b \u0939\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0942 \u092a\u0930 \u0939\u0940 \u0905\u0924\u094d\u092f\u093e\u091a\u093e\u0930 \u0939\u094b\u0917\u093e? \u0915\u092d\u0940 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0938\u093e\u0926\u092e\u0947\u0902 \u091c\u093c\u0939\u0930 \u092e\u093f\u0932\u093e \u0915\u0930 \u0915\u092d\u0940 \u092e\u0902\u0926\u093f\u0930, \u092e\u0942\u0930\u094d\u0924\u093f\u092f\u094b\u0902 \u092a\u0930 \u0939\u092e\u0932\u093e \u0915\u0930\u0915\u0947? \u0915\u0939\u093e \u0917\u090f\u00a0<span class=\"_5afx\"><span class=\"_58cl _5afz\" aria-label=\"hashtag\">#<\/span><span class=\"_58cm\">IntoleranceGang (During the auspicious month of savan Mahadev&#8217;s ancient temple was vandalised and Mahadev&#8217;s statue was ignited. Narendra Modi, will only Hindus be tortured? Sometimes by mixing poison in prasad and sometimes vandalising statues and temples? Where is the #IntoleranceGang.)<\/span><\/span>&#8220;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>A similar message circulated in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/search\/posts\/?q=%E0%B2%AE%E0%B2%B9%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%B0%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%B7%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%9F%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B0%E0%B2%A6%20%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%8A%E0%B2%B0%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%97%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%B5%E0%B3%8D%20%E0%B2%8E%E0%B2%82%E0%B2%AC%20%E0%B2%AA%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B0%E0%B2%A6%E0%B3%87%E0%B2%B6%E0%B2%A6%E0%B2%B2%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B2%E0%B2%BF%20%E0%B2%87%E0%B2%B0%E0%B3%81%E0%B2%B5%20%E0%B2%B9%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%82%E0%B2%A6%E0%B3%82%E0%B2%97%E0%B2%B3%20%E0%B2%AA%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B0%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%9A%E0%B3%80%E0%B2%A8%20%E0%B2%A7%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%B0%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AE%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%95%20%E0%B2%B8%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%A5%E0%B2%B3%E0%B2%A6%E0%B2%B2%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B2%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%B0%E0%B3%81%E0%B2%B5%20%E0%B2%B6%E0%B2%BF%E0%B2%B5%E0%B2%A8%20%E0%B2%A6%E0%B3%87%E0%B2%B5%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%B2%E0%B2%AF%E0%B2%B5%E0%B2%A8%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%A8%E0%B3%81%20%E0%B2%A7%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B5%E0%B2%82%E0%B2%B8%20%E0%B2%AE%E0%B2%BE%E0%B2%A1%E0%B2%BF&amp;epa=FILTERS&amp;filters=eyJycF9jcmVhdGlvbl90aW1lIjoie1wibmFtZVwiOlwiY3JlYXRpb25fdGltZVwiLFwiYXJnc1wiOlwie1xcXCJzdGFydF95ZWFyXFxcIjpcXFwiMjAxOVxcXCIsXFxcInN0YXJ0X21vbnRoXFxcIjpcXFwiMjAxOS0xXFxcIixcXFwiZW5kX3llYXJcXFwiOlxcXCIyMDE5XFxcIixcXFwiZW5kX21vbnRoXFxcIjpcXFwiMjAxOS0xMlxcXCIsXFxcInN0YXJ0X2RheVxcXCI6XFxcIjIwMTktMS0xXFxcIixcXFwiZW5kX2RheVxcXCI6XFxcIjIwMTktMTItMzFcXFwifVwifSJ9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kannada<\/a> also claims that the incident took place in Morgaon &#8211;<em>\u00a0&#8220;\u0cae\u0cb9\u0cbe\u0cb0\u0cbe\u0cb7\u0ccd\u0c9f\u0ccd\u0cb0\u0ca6 \u0cae\u0cca\u0cb0\u0ccd\u0c97\u0cbe\u0cb5\u0ccd \u0c8e\u0c82\u0cac \u0caa\u0ccd\u0cb0\u0ca6\u0cc7\u0cb6\u0ca6\u0cb2\u0ccd\u0cb2\u0cbf \u0c87\u0cb0\u0cc1\u0cb5 \u0cb9\u0cbf\u0c82\u0ca6\u0cc2\u0c97\u0cb3 \u0caa\u0ccd\u0cb0\u0cbe\u0c9a\u0cc0\u0ca8 \u0ca7\u0cbe\u0cb0\u0ccd\u0cae\u0cbf\u0c95 \u0cb8\u0ccd\u0ca5\u0cb3\u0ca6\u0cb2\u0ccd\u0cb2\u0cbf\u0cb0\u0cc1\u0cb5 \u0cb6\u0cbf\u0cb5\u0ca8 \u0ca6\u0cc7\u0cb5\u0cbe\u0cb2\u0caf\u0cb5\u0ca8\u0ccd\u0ca8\u0cc1 \u0ca7\u0ccd\u0cb5\u0c82\u0cb8 \u0cae\u0cbe\u0ca1\u0cbf, \u0c85\u0cb2\u0ccd\u0cb2\u0cbf\u0ca6\u0ccd\u0ca6 \u0cae\u0cc2\u0cb0\u0ccd\u0ca4\u0cbf\u0c97\u0cc6 \u0cac\u0cc6\u0c82\u0c95\u0cbf \u0cb9\u0c9a\u0ccd\u0c9a\u0cb2\u0cbe\u0c97\u0cbf\u0ca6\u0cc6..! \u0cb9\u0cbf\u0c82\u0ca6\u0cc2\u0c97\u0cb3\u0cc7 \u0ca8\u0cbe\u0cb5\u0cc1 \u0c88\u0c97\u0cb2\u0cc2 \u0c8e\u0c9a\u0ccd\u0c9a\u0cc6\u0ca4\u0ccd\u0ca4\u0cc1\u0c95\u0cca\u0cb3\u0ccd\u0cb3\u0ca6\u0cbf\u0ca6\u0ccd\u0ca6\u0cb0\u0cc6 \u0cae\u0cc1\u0c82\u0ca6\u0cc6 \u0cac\u0cb9\u0cc1\u0ca6\u0cca\u0ca1\u0ccd\u0ca1 \u0c85\u0ca8\u0cbe\u0cb9\u0cc1\u0ca4 \u0c95\u0cbe\u0ca6\u0cbf\u0ca6\u0cc6..!&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>What is the truth?<\/h2>\n<p>A keyword search on Google led Alt News to a\u00a0<em>PTI\u00a0<\/em>report republished by\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theweek.in\/wire-updates\/national\/2019\/07\/26\/wrg1-mh-idol.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Week<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>According to this article, initial investigation by the police suggests that a Shiva idol installed on a hill in Arjuni Morgaon tehsil in Gondia district was found damaged, possibly by lightning. This explains the burn marks on the top of the idol. It is inconceivable that people climbed a 15-feet towering structure to burn its crest instead of its foundation.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-42490 \" src=\"http:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/07\/download-17.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"631\" height=\"548\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/07\/download-17.png 954w, https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/07\/download-17-300x260.png 300w, https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/07\/download-17-768x667.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 631px) 100vw, 631px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Alt News contacted Arjuni Morgaon police station and was told that the structure was damaged in a possible thunderstorm. <em>&#8220;The initial inspection suggests that the damage was caused by a lightning strike. We have sent the spoils to Nagpur for further investigation,&#8221;\u00a0<\/em>said the police. When asked if there have been reports of vandalism, specifically by miscreants belonging to the Muslim community, the police said that nothing of the sort has come up in their investigation.<\/p>\n<p>A Shiva statue damaged by a possible lightning strike is being made out to be a case of vandalism with several social media users falsely accusing members of the Muslim community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A viral claim on social media suggests that a 400-year-old Shiva statue in Pratapgarh, Gondia district in Maharashtra was desecrated by members of the Muslim community. One of the firsts to float the claim was Twitter user @craziestlazy (archive). But today afternoon I got news by local media that the Statue of lord Shiva vandalised [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":42472,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"an_content_type":[],"coauthors":[141],"class_list":["post-42457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","fact_checks_claim_type-economics"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Shiva idol in Maharashtra vandalised by Muslims? Initial probe says damage by lightning strike - Alt News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shiva idol in Maharashtra vandalised by Muslims? Initial probe says damage by lightning strike - Alt News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A viral claim on social media suggests that a 400-year-old Shiva statue in Pratapgarh, Gondia district in Maharashtra was desecrated by members of the Muslim community. One of the firsts to float the claim was Twitter user @craziestlazy (archive). But today afternoon I got news by local media that the Statue of lord Shiva vandalised [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/shiva-idol-in-maharashtra-vandalised-by-muslims-initial-probe-says-damage-by-lightning-strike\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Alt News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/altnews.in\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-07-29T16:09:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-07-30T13:32:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2019\/07\/Untitled-design-9.jpeg?resize=1200%2C628&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"628\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Pooja Chaudhuri\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Pooja_Chaudhuri\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AltNews\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Pooja Chaudhuri\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.altnews.in\\\/english-clone-2026\\\/shiva-idol-in-maharashtra-vandalised-by-muslims-initial-probe-says-damage-by-lightning-strike\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.altnews.in\\\/english-clone-2026\\\/shiva-idol-in-maharashtra-vandalised-by-muslims-initial-probe-says-damage-by-lightning-strike\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Pooja Chaudhuri\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.altnews.in\\\/english-clone-2026\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/679783e6af2a013b375fccf2865a44ba\"},\"headline\":\"Shiva idol in Maharashtra vandalised by Muslims? 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