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.
Claim
TTE electrocuted through earphones
Fact check/Verification
We began our research by conducting a reverse image search of the keyframes of the viral video claiming to show a TTE electrocuted through earphones which took us to a tweet by Ananth Rupangadi, the ADRM of Chennai Railways.
The tweet revealed that the incident took place at Kharagpur railway station when a long piece of cable, that was being carried by a bird, touched a OHE (high tension) wire, while the other end fell on the TTE’s head, resulting in electrocution. The tweet further revealed that the man suffered burn injuries but was out of danger.
Using this as a clue, we conducted a Google keyword search, which yielded several reports relaying similar information. You can read the reports here, here and here.
A report by India Today identified the man in the video as Sujan Singh, who was talking to another person on the platform when the live wire came down and fell on him. He was later taken to the Kharagpur railway hospital, the report added. “On being asked about live wire falling down, Mohammad Sujat Hashmi said that it might have been caused by birds as they often pick up small wires,” the report said, quoting the DRM. This confirms that the claim of TTE being electrocuted through earphones is not true.
On further research on Facebook, we found a post by Subhash Lall, giving similar details. The post also carried images from a hospital ward showing a patient with his head bandaged, while his wife stood by. The post also mentioned that local leader of the left party, Anil Das, visited Singh at the hospital.
Newscehcker reached out to the user Subhash Lall, who confirmed that Sujan Singh was recuperating well in the hospital. “I went and met Sujan Singh personally. He suffered injuries to his head and hip, but he is out of danger. The Kharagpur DRM also visited Sujan Singh at the hospital.”
We also reached out to Rajesh Kumar, the PRO of Kharagpur division, who shared a report of Zee 24 Ghanta with us. The report carried a video byte of DRM Mohammed Shujat Hashmi confirming that Sujan Singh is out of danger and confirms that the electrocution occured when a ‘thin wire’ fell on Sujan.
On close analysis of the video also, one can see the electric cable touching Sujan Singh, thus disproving that he was electrocuted through earphones.
Result: False
(With reporting inputs by Shubham Singh from Newschecker Hindi team)
Our Sources
Report by India Today on December 8, 2022
Facebook Post by Subhash Lall on December 8, 2022
Tweet by Ananth Rupanagudi on December 8, 2022
Conversation with DRM Kharagpur Office
Contact with Khargapur Railway Division PRO Rajesh Kumar
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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.
