Photo of rescue op viral as cops helping mob carry petrol bombs to AAP’s Tahir Hussain’s residence

AAP councillor Tahir Hussain has been booked for the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma, who was killed in Delhi riots. Sharma’s family named Hussain in their complaint. Locals have alleged that the now-suspended AAP leader’s four-storey residence was used to hurl petrol bombs during clashes.

An image of a few men climbing atop a building, in the presence of cops, using a portable staircase is doing the rounds on social media. Facebook user Barkat Khiljee shared the image with the claim that Delhi police was helping rioters climb on Hussain’s house and transport petrol bombs, slingshots and stones. It has been shared more than 22,000 times so far.

Another Facebook user Aabid Sheikh posted the image with the same claim.

Fact-check

Alt News found that the image doesn’t show policemen helping rioters to get to Hussain’s residence. In fact, the policemen are rescuing civilians from a building palpably engulfed in fire. AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh tweeted a video of the incident on February 26, 2020. “Brave police officers protecting people in violence struck [Delhi’s] Gamri area -translated,” he wrote.

हिंसा ग्रस्त गाँवडी इलाक़े में लोगों की रक्षा करते हुए @DelhiPolice के बहादुर जवान। pic.twitter.com/Loy9rildLv

— Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) February 26, 2020

In the video, civilians are not climbing up the staircase but trying to escape from the terrace. One can be smoke in the background.

An image of policemen rescuing civilians from a building engulfed in fire was shared with the false claim that cops were helping a mob transport petrol bombs and slingshots to AAP councillor Tahir Hussain’s residence.