Authors
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.
The shooting of Sudhir Suri, a leader of a local outfit called Shiv Sena (Taksali) from Punjab, in the presence of police and his supporters in broad daylight has sent shock waves across the state.
Sudhir Suri, who heads the Shiv Sena (Taksali), was holding a sit-in protest outside a temple premise against its management when he was shot, allegedly by a local shopkeeper, and NDTV report said. Suri “was mostly known for his fiery — and allegedly communal — video messages on social media targeting some Sikh outfits and Khalistan supporters in particular,” the report adds.
Five shots were reportedly fired, two of which hit Suri, while Suri’s aide, who was with him, can be seen firing back in the videos from the incident.
Suri got into an argument with the management of Gopal Mandir near Majitha Road earlier that day over alleged sacrilege of idols and was part of a live broadcast on Facebook barely an hour before the attack took place. In that live stream, Suri was showing some older idols alleging that they had been “shamelessly dumped in garbage”, NDTV reported. Suri’s close aide Ashok Sharma alleged that Khalistani groups were behind the attack, the Indian Express reported.
Emotions ran high soon after the video of brutal killing was widely shared online.
Shortly after the shooting, a young supporter of Suri spoke to the media from the shooting site. He went on record, threatening to kill all Sikhs in Punjab if Suri were to die. The video is now being shared on social media claiming that the young man was Suri’s son, demanding that he be arrested for the provocation. Newschecker has found the claim to be false.
Archive copy of the tweet can be seen here.
Fact check/Verification
Newschecker began looking up the image of Sudhir Suri’s son on Google and found several reports that carried the image of Paras Suri.
A report by Jagran Punjabi, titled “Sudhir Suri Murder: Sudhir Suri’s son said – father should be given the status of martyr, then there will be cremation” carries an image of Paras Suri speaking to the media.
Another report by Dainik Bhaskar reads, “Announcement of son of Hindu leader murdered in Amritsar: Will not perform last rites if Sudhir Suri is not given martyr status”. This report also carried an image of Sudhir Suri’s son Paras Suri.
A video of Suri’s son appealing to the people not to spoil the Sikh-Hindu brotherhood in Punjab also shows Paras Suri clearly.
Punjab Kesari carried a clearer image of the person who issued the threat.
On matching the two images together, we found that the man seen in the viral video and Sudhir Suri’s son Paras Suri were not alike.
We further noticed that the video carried the watermark and logo of Daily Post Punjabi, a digital news outlet. Newschecker reached out to the Daily Post Punjabi who clarified that the man seen in the viral video was not Sudhir Suri’s son and that he was one of the supporters who was associated with Sudhir Suri.
The same supporter also later apologised for the provocative remarks.
Conclusion
A video showing a supporter of Shiv Sena (Taksali) leader Sudhir Suri, threatening to kill Sikhs shortly after he was shot, is being shared as a video of Sudhir Suri’s son threatening Sikhs.
Result: False
Sources
Report published by the Dainik Bhaskar on November 4, 2022
Report published by the Jagran Punjabi on November 4, 2022
Report published by Punjab Kesari on November 5, 2022
Facebook post by Daily Post Punjab on November 5, 2022
Facebook post by Daily Post Punjab on November 5, 2022
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Authors
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.
