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
Prosthetic fingers being manufactured to cast fake votes in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Fact
No, viral images show silicone fingers made for former Yakuza members in Japan to help them blend in with society.
Several social media users are circulating an image of what appears to be prosthetic fingers, claiming that they were being manufactured for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections to cast fake votes.
The archived version of the tweet can be seen here.
Fact
Newschecker ran a reverse image search, which led us to this ABC news report, dated June 6, 2013, headlined, “Prosthetic Fingers Help Reform Japan’s Feared Yakuza Gangsters”.
According to the report, Tokyo-based prosthetics maker Shintaro Hayashi would mould silicone prosthetic pinkies for former Yakuza (Japanese mafia) members. “A stunted pinkie signifies membership in the Yakuza, or Japanese mafia. In a ritual known as ‘yubitsume’, Yakuza members are required to chop off their own digits to atone for serious offences. The left pinkie is usually the first to go, though repeated offences call for further severing. As a result, those who get out, have a hard time finding work because of the stigma attached to those missing fingers,” read the report, stating the doctor would make these synthetic fingers to seamlessly mask the amputation, making for a smoother transition to the outside world.
“Former Yakuza members, who make up 5 percent of Hayashi’s business, often keep several sets of fingers for different seasons – the light skinned version for winter, and a tanned look for summer,” further read the report. We also came across these Getty images of the silicone fingers, seen here, here and here, made by Hayashi.
A further search led us to this write-up, dated December 16, 2013, on Japanese-American journalist Akiko Fujita’s website, sharing the same image seen in the viral claims, which confirms that it is not related to the 2024 general elections in India. A similar news feature can be seen here.
Also Read: Voter Fraud In Assam? Viral Video Showing Man Casting 5 Votes For BJP Candidate Is From Mock Poll
Conclusion
Old photos of prosthetic fingers made for former Yakuza members in Japan falsely claimed as evidence of voting fraud in Lok Sabha elections.
Result: False
Source
ABC news report, June 6, 2013
Akiko Fujita’s website
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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.
