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.
Claim
Youths, children march with weapons and wave Islamic flags amid the communal violence in Haryana.
Fact
Video is not from Haryana, but Murshidabad, West Bengal, and is most likely of a Muharram procession on July 29, 2023.
Several social media users are sharing a video, purportedly showing a group of youths and children brandishing swords and waving Islamic flags as they march through a street, linking it to the recent communal violence in Haryana that erupted in Nuh district on July 31 and spread to neighbouring areas, killing at least six people.
The archived versions of the tweets can be seen here and here.
Also Read: Viral Video Of Defaced Indian Flag Is Not From Howrah Bridge In Kolkata
Fact Check
Newschecker ran a reverse image search of keyframes of the video, which led us to this tweet and Reddit post. We noticed that the users across the comment sections of both these posts point out that it was a Muharram procession in West Bengal.
Taking a cue from this, a relevant keyword search on Facebook led us to a clearer version of the video, dated July 29, 2023, posted by one Shaikh Aptaj Bharatiya. Aptaj, who describes himself as a social worker from Dhuliyan, stated the video is of a Muharram procession in Dhuliyan, which is located in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, sees processions carried out by a large number of Muslims on the day of Ashura, the tenth day of Muharram, which fell on July 29 this year.
A corresponding search on Google Earth led us to this street view, dated May 2023, of CJ Patel More Road in Dhuliyan. A comparison, considering the statue and the red building, confirmed that the viral video was from Dhuliyan, West Bengal. We have reached out to Aptaj and will update this copy once we receive a response on the details of the procession.
Also Read: Old Video From Bangladesh Resurfaces As Haryana Violence
Conclusion
Video of Muharram procession in West Bengal falsely linked to the recent communal violence in Haryana
Result: False
Sources
Facebook reel, July 29, 2023
Google Earth street view
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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.
