Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Viral video claimed to show “Muslim-owned” Haryana eatery using gutter water to cook biryani.
Fact
Viral claims found to be false, eatery was pumping out gutter water onto the road.
Several social media users are circulating a video, purportedly showing an altercation at a biryani shop in Pinjore, Haryana, claiming that locals caught the workers at the roadside eatery using water from the gutter to cook biryani. The video, which also shows the sewer from where the water is allegedly taken from, has gone viral with a communal narrative, claiming that it is the modus operandi of Muslim owners of such eateries across the country. Some media outlets, too, reported on the viral video with the same narrative, adding that the shop-owner tried to bribe the locals with ₹5000, even as angry citizens filed a complaint with the police.
The archived versions of the tweets and reports can be seen here, here and here.
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Fact Check
Newschecker noticed that the green hose in the gutter, from where the biryani joint allegedly drew water, did not seem to lead into the eatery’s cooking or cleaning area, but onto the nearby road, raising our doubts.
We looked up the eatery, Shama Biryani Dhaba, on JustDial, from where we got in contact with Yaseen Rizvi, an employee at the store, who said the viral claims were false. “We were just pumping out the dirty water from the gutter,” said Rizvi.
Newschecker then spoke to the SHO of Pinjore police station, inspector Karamveer, who confirmed that the viral claims were false, reiterating that gutter water was not used to cook biryani or for any cleaning purposes by the eatery. “The complainants said the eatery was polluting the nearby area. We summoned both sides and advised the eatery owners to drain out the dirty water into a tank and not onto the street. The [eatery owners] would usually pump out the gutter water into the nearby street once it overflows.”
We also came across this Facebook video, uploaded on August 16, 2023, by Kalka Pinjore live, where there is no mention across the caption and in the video of the eatery using gutter water to cook biriyani. The whole dispute arose over the eatery discharging contaminated water onto the nearby roads, causing Bajrang Dal workers to raise the matter with the owners. We learnt that the owner of Shama Dhaba apologised in writing and promised not to litter in the future.
We had also reached out to the owner of the eatery, whose phone was switched off at the time of publishing this copy. We will update this copy once we receive a response.
Also Read: Viral Photo Showing Messi’s Jersey On Display Not From Locker Room Of Saudi Arabia’s Club Al-Nassr
Conclusion
Video of altercation at Haryana eatery goes viral with false communal claim that the roadside biryani shop was using gutter water for cooking and cleaning.
Result: False
Sources
Conversation with inspector Karamveer, Pinjore police station
Conversation with Yaseen Rizvi, Shama Biryani Dhaba
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Authors
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
