“बंगाल अब बंगलादेशी घुसपैठियों (आतंकवादियों) का रोहिंग्या का गढ़ हो गया है जिसने केंद्र वाहिनी को भी नहीं छोड़ा, इस वीडियो को इलेक्शन कमिशन के पास पहुंचाना है ज्यादा से ज्यादा शेयर कीजिए। (Bengal has now become a hub for Bangladeshi intruders (terrorists) and Rohingyas who haven’t even let off central forces. This video needs to reach the Election Commission. Share it as much as you can.)” This caption has been widely used to circulate a video on social media where a few bloody men can be seen seated inside a van while the police attempt to stop a mob from attacking the vehicle.
बंगाल अब बंगलादेशी घुसपैठियों(आतंकवादियों) का रोहिंग्या का गढ़ हो गया है जिसने केंद्र वाहिनी को भी नहीं छोड़ा, इस वीडियो को इलेक्शन कमिशन के पास पहुंचाना है । 😠😠😠😠😠 @ECISVEEP @MamataOfficial @TajinderBagga pic.twitter.com/lOBJVqzzeA
— रश्मि चौकीदार (अपराजिता) (@xFDLxilzLv1vKyO) May 8, 2019
The video is also viral on Facebook but has been covered by the social networking platform owing to its gruesome nature. The English text used to share the video reads, “Refugees ( Rohingyas ) in Bengal attacking central forces. See The Bengal Police There. Must reach to EC, Circulate as much as possible.”
Another caption used to propagate the clip reads – “आतंकवादी की सरदाना ममता बेगम की पुलिस ने केंद्र वाहिनी को भी नहीं छोड़ा, इस वीडियो को इलेक्शन कमिशन के पास पहुंचाना है ज्यादा से ज्यादा शेयर कीजिए (Terrorist-sympathiser Mamata Begum’s police did not even leave central forces. This video needs to reach the Election Commission. Share it as much as you can.)”
आतंकवादी की सरदाना ममता बेगम की पुलिस ने केंद्र वाहिनी को भी नहीं छोड़ा, इस वीडियो को इलेक्शन कमिशन के पास पहुंचाना है ज्यादा से ज्यादा शेयर कीजिए.
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/LigEZWog1W— Chowkidar Suresh Rajpurohit (@skrajpurohit143) May 2, 2019
The video is also doing rounds on WhatsApp.
What is the truth?
The viral clip pertains to a road accident that took place in Fatapukur in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri. A local news channel News Britant had reported the incident on April 12 and also uploaded a video showcasing the events. This video was lifted and uploaded on social media with a false narrative. If one notices carefully, the viral clip carries the logo of News Britant.
According to the media outlet, a road accident on National Highway 31 led to a skirmish between the police, accompanied by four civic volunteers. and an enraged mob. The report said that two locals lost their lives in an accident. Officials of the local police station in Rajganj were allegedly occupied with providing security cover for TMC politician Abhishek Banerjee’s rally, therefore, delayed reaching the spot on time. When the police finally arrived, a massive crowd of angry locals attacked the civic volunteers, leaving them injured. The frenzied mob also thrashed the police vehicle in a fit of rage.
Alt News contacted Rajganj police station to confirm the reported incident. We were informed that a road accident indeed took place in Fatapukur when a truck rammed against a motorcycle on National Highway 31. Two people lost their lives on the spot.
The incident had nothing to do with the Lok Sabha polls but was a case of a road accident. West Bengal and the state’s incumbent CM Mamata Banerjee-led government has emerged as a prime target of misinformation in the ongoing elections. The TMC is often targeted using unrelated videos and photographs to portray the party as ‘terrorist and immigrant sympathisers’.
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.
