No, Sikh man injured during farmers’ protest is not Captain PPS Dhillon (Retd.)

Amidst the recent farmers’ protest, Alt News has verified multiple claims where unrelated individuals were linked to the movement — Bilkis Bano and Dr Rajkumari Bansal — in an attempt to delegitimise the protest.

Several Facebook and Twitter users have now posted a juxtaposed image of a Sikh man in military uniform and an elderly man whose eye is injured. If social media claims are to be believed, both men are the same person. “Captain PPS Dhillon from Sikh Regiment, Indian Army was thrashed after he raised his voice for farmers’ rights,” reads the viral message in an attempt to draw sympathies for the farmers’ protest, unlike most other misinformation.

Indian Youth Congress member Aakash Mahant (archived link) and Facebook page ‘Vinay Dubey fan club’ (archived link) promoted the claim. Their posts were shared close to 2,000 times.

It was also posted MP Congress IT cell member Shilpi Singh. Her tweet gained over 200 retweets. (archived link)

भारतीय सेना की सिख रेजिमेंट से रिटायर कैप्टन पीपीएस ढिल्लन ने कभी सोचा नहीं होगा कि जब वो किसान की भूमिका में अपने हक़ के लिए आवाज उठाएँगे तो bjp की ITCell के लोग उन्हें खालिस्तानी और आतंकी कहेंगे शर्म करो 2रु प्रति पोस्ट और ट्वीट के लिए ये भक्त हमारे वीर सपूत को बदनाम कर रहे हैं pic.twitter.com/141hz613d2

— SHILPI SINGH (@ShilpiSinghINC) November 30, 2020

Fact-check

Alt News rummaged Twitter and Facebook for context behind the two images and found that the two Sikh men are not the same person.

Veteran’s image

A veteran tipped us off on WhatsApp that this image was posted on Facebook by Captain PPS Dhillon (Retd.)’s son.

Sukhwinder Singh, Sarpanch of Uboke village, had shared the photograph on Sikh Military History Forum on November 29. As per his post, the officer in the image is his father Hon. Captain Pirthipal Singh Dhillon, who retired from 17 Sikh Regiment in 1993.

Singh also posted another image of the cake cutting on his personal profile.

The images were posted on the same day the veteran was claimed to have sustained injuries during farmers’ protests. This itself suggests that the viral assertion is false.

Farmer’s image

Farmers’ rights activist Ramandeep Singh Mann tweeted this image on November 29. Mann told Alt News, “I haven’t been able to identify the farmer yet. Will update the moment I learn more details.”

एक तरफ किसान अपने हक के लिए आर पार की कर रहा है, ठिठुरती हुई ठंड में रातों को बाहर सो रहा है और दूसरी तरफ कोई आज फिर मौज से अपनी मन की बात सुना रहा है ! #FarmProtests pic.twitter.com/XqB45X44Ch

— Ramandeep Singh Mann (@ramanmann1974) November 29, 2020

Twitter user @AMITKUM930 posted a short video of the farmer.

'Shame' is a small word for you !! Take back your farmers' against Bill..
More power to our #Farmers
" RESPECT FARMERS "#SupportFarmers #IStandWithFarmers #FarmersProtest pic.twitter.com/LYmjscvW5N

— AMIT KUMAR (@AMITKUM930) November 29, 2020

While the identity of the farmer is yet to be ascertained, he is certainly not Captain PPS Dhillon (Retd.). Their facial structure and beard do not match.

It is noteworthy that the pictures began circulating with the false claim after journalist Tejinder Singh Sodhi had tweeted them. Sodhi, however, did not allege that the two individuals are the same. He clarified that his post only meant to show elderly Sikhs as both army men and farmers.

Brig Sandy sir, it’s unfortunate that you removed the retweet. Nowhere I am saying in the tweet that these two people are same, it’s the RW propagandists who are calling every protesting farmer as a Khalistani, my postbwas to show an elderly Sikh as a soldier and as a farmer

— Tejinder Singh Sodhi 🇮🇳 🇮🇳 (@TejinderSsodhi) November 30, 2020