After now-suspended BJP spokesperson, Nupur Sharma made a controversial remark on Prophet Muhammad, members of the Muslim community across the country, including in Kolkata, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, protested against the remark. Several reports stated that violence occurred in some of these protests.
A video of a policeman lying dead on the road has been shared on social media against this backdrop. A rifle is lying next to his dead body, and a mob has surrounded him. It has been linked with the recent protests. A user named SS Nauhwar tweeted the video and claimed that the policeman was killed by a protesting mob in Kolkata. (Archive link)
Bhartiya Janata Party worker ‘Pt. Varun Parashar’ also tweeted this video with the same claim. (Archive link)
Facebook user Krishna Pandit amplified the claim.
This video is viral on Facebook and Twitter.
Fact-check
Alt News did a keyword search on Google to gather information related to the viral video. We found an NDTV report dated June 10, 2022, about the video. Due to the depiction of violence in the video, it has been blurred. The report states that Chodup Lepcha, a policeman posted at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata, had fired several rounds with his service rifle before shooting and killing himself.
Telegraph reported that the constable had fired in “every possible direction”. 28-year-old Reema, who was passing by, was killed in this firing. Along with this, 19-year-old Mohammad Sarfaraz and 49-year-old Mohammad Bashir Alam were injured.
Hindustan Times reported that Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Additional Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, stated that the incident was unrelated to protests against Nupur Sharma’s remark. Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goel said that the matter is under investigation. His motive for indiscriminately firing before shooting himself is unknown.
Additional Commissioner of Police Praveen Tripathi said that Chodup had shot himself in his neck, as reported by The New Indian Express. “It seems Lepcha who shot himself in his neck was suffering from depression. It is yet to be ascertained whether his act was because of his mental condition,” ACP Tripathi was quoted by the outlet.
This incident is, therefore, unrelated to protests against Nupur Sharma’s remark. It must be reiterated that the constable shot himself and wasn’t “killed by protesters”.
Independent journalism that speaks truth to power and is free of corporate and political control is possible only when people start contributing towards the same. Please consider donating towards this endeavour to fight fake news and misinformation.
