Social media users shared an image of several alcohol and coke bottles kept in plastic bags. The caption with this image read, “बिहार में बीजेपी-जदयू की कुछ तैयारी ऐसी भी चल रही है…ध्यान रहे बिहारवासियो ये जहर ओर कहर दोनो है इसलिये बहकावे में नही आना है…!!”
This translates to, “Some preparations for BJP-JDU in Bihar are also going on like this….Keep in mind that the people of Bihar are both poison and havoc, so do not get into the mischief …. !!”
This claim is shared by multiple users in light of the upcoming elections in Bihar on 28 October.
Fact Check/ Verification
A reverse image search of the photograph in context led us to an article on a Thai website named Thaihitz.com.
With the photograph from the claim included, the article describes how a volunteer distributed alcohol bottles to victims of a flood in Ubon Ratchathani Province in Thailand.
The reverse image search also led us to a September 2019 Youtube video titled, “จอนนี่ มือปราบ ช่วยเหลือน้ำท่วมอุบลฯ จัดชุดถุงยังชีพแบบไม่เหมือนใครย้ำมันคือแนวแก้เมื่อย”
This translates to, “Jonny, Ubon Flood Rescuer Set up a set of survival bags like no other, emphasizing that it is a cure for fatigue.” The video includes the exact image from the claim.
Using relevant keywords, we found Johnny’s Facebook profile (the man mentioned in the above posts). On 22 September 2019, he posted the image in context on his profile.
At the time, multiple news organisations reported about the devastation caused by floods which hit Ubon Ratchathani, a province in Thailand.
Newschecker previously debunked this claim in Marathi.
Conclusion
Our research makes it clear that social media posts claiming an image with alcohol bottles to be related to Bihar elections are misleading. The image in context is from Thailand, when a volunteer distributed alcohol packets to flood victims in Ubon Ratchathani province, 2019.
Result: Misleading
Our Sources
Thaihitz.com: https://bit.ly/2HxJ5V7
Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEpG9nRB57s&ab_channel=DARAZONE
Johnny Talung Kung: https://www.facebook.com/johnnytalungkung/posts/2428652963914314
The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/526741-thailand-s-northeast-inundated-after-tropical-storm
Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1756679/flood-donations-abused-bin-admits
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