Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Claim
Videos show targeted attacks on Hindi speaking migrants in Tamil Nadu
Fact
The viral videos were found to be unrelated to attacks on migrants. One of the videos was traced to a daylight murder in Hyderabad while another was traced to a murder that took place in Rajasthan. A third video was found to be of a gangwar in Coimbatore, where a youth was killed near the court complex in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore.
A video showing a man abusing and manhandling migrant worker in a moving train in Tamil Nadu surfaced online mid-February, triggering massive outrage among netizens. Many like Karthik Gopinath, who was earlier arrested on charge of swindling money which he collected for renovating a temple, were quick to pin the blame on the DMK’s push for ‘Dravidian pride’ behind the rise in xenophobic crimes.
Soon, several unverified videos claiming to show more targeted attacks on migrant workers from the northern states started finding their way to social media platforms.
With growing online murmur, Bihar CM stated on his twitter account that Chief Secretary and Bihar DGP were directed to talk to the officials of the Tamil Nadu Government and ensure the safety of the migrant workers from Bihar.
Also Read: Clipped Video Of TR Baalu’s Speech On ‘Demolishing 100-Year-Old Temples’ Shared Out Of Context
But how true are these videos purportedly showing targeted attacks on north Indians in Tamil Nadu? Newschecker finds out:
Video 1
One of the videos that is widely in circulation shows a disturbing footage of a man being repeatedly stabbed by a knife before his attacker crushes his face with a stone. Those sharing the footage claim that it shows Hindi speaking migrants being attacked in Tamil Nadu.
Note: The video contains disturbing visuals and has not been embedded in this article.
Archived versions of such tweets can be seen here, here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
On scanning through the comment sections of the posts carrying the viral video, we spotted a user pointing out that the footage is from Rajasthan, and not Tamil Nadu.
Taking a clue, we looked up Hindi keywords “राजस्थान,” “शख्स,” “दिनदहाड़े,” “सड़क,” & “चाकू” on Google which led us to a report by Aaj Tak, dated February 19, 2023. Carrying CCTV footage of the incident captured from a different angle, the report elaborated on how two men attacked and killed a lawyer in broad daylight.
Multiple reports from February 2023 detailed how a Jodhpur lawyer, identified as Jugraj Chauhan, was murdered in the middle of a road. Both the accused in this case were arrested. Such reports can be seen here, here, here and here.
Furthermore, we came across a tweet by BJP leader Khushbu Sundar, dated February 22, 2023, carrying the viral video with the caption, “…Lawyer Jugraj Chauhan was waylaid & murdered in Jodhpur in broad daylight….” Replying to Sundar’s tweet, DCP East Jodhpur said that a case has been registered at Mata police station and the accused have been arrested.
It is pertinent to note that the same video was earlier shared with a communal claim, which was debunked by Newschecker’s Hindi team.
Result: False
Video 2
The second video that is being widely shared to claim attack on Hindi speaking migrant workers in Tamil Nadu shows yet another disturbing video clip, shot from across a busy road, showing a man being hacked to death by three others in broad daylight.
Note: The video contains disturbing visuals and has not been embedded in this article.
Links to such posts can be seen here, here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
We skimmed through the comment section of various posts carrying the viral video, and found a user pointing out that the clip showed a murder in Hyderabad.
Taking a clue, we looked up keywords “Man killed on road,” & “Hyderabad” on Google which led us to a report by Times Of India, dated January 23, 2023.
Carrying an image of three men attacking a person on the road, the report stated, “A 30-year-old man was hacked to death by three men in full public view on Sunday evening at Jiyaguda, allegedly over personal enmity. Soon afterwards videos of the brutal attack shot by passersby went viral on social media” Jiyaguda is a place in Hyderabad.
A ETV Bharat report on the incident, dated January 22, 2023, carried screen grabs from the viral video and stated that police officials from the Kulsumpura PS arrived at the spot, and registered a case.
It further quoted Kulsumpura CI Ashok Kumar as saying, “Search operations are being carried out with special teams. At the time of the murder, a person who was on the spot took a video from the distance, and it has become a crucial piece of information for the probe.”
Other reports on the incident can be seen here and here.
We could thus conclude that footage of a murder that took place in Hyderabad is falsely shared to show Tamil Nadu residents attacking Hindi speaking migrants.
Result: False
Video 3
Another video showing a group of men attacking a person with machetes in a cramped lane before they walk away casually, is also doing the rounds online, with users alleging that the victim was a Hindi speaking migrant worker.
Note: The video contains disturbing visuals and has not been embedded in this article.
Links to such posts can be seen here, here, here, here and here.
Fact Check/Verification
A Google reverse image search on the keyframes of the viral clip led us to a report by News Nine, dated February 14, 2023, titled ‘Tamil Nadu: Gang hacks man to death in full public view near court complex in Coimbatore.’
Carrying a screengrab from the viral video, the report stated, “A four-member gang…hacked a man to death near the District Court Complex here in full public view, police said. Gokul, along with his friend Manoj, has come to attend a hearing in connection with a case against him and went to the tea shop behind the court complex, they said.”
Multiple other news outlets reported on the incident, however none of such reports mentioned about a Hindi speaking person being attacked by Tamilians. Such reports can be seen here, here, and here.
Elaborating on the incident, a report by The New Indian Express stated, “The deceased was identified as G Gokul (24) a resident of Kondayampalayam near Annur district. He along with his friend Manoj were standing in front of a tea shop around 11.30 am when a gang of four wearing masks approached them on second street in Gopalapuram. Manoj hails from Sivananda colony in the city.”
It added that the accused hacked Gokul to death with a machete, while Manoj managed to escape the scene. The report further stated, “Preliminary inquiry revealed that the deceased who resided in the Kannappa Nagar area near Rathinapuri a few years ago, had a dispute with another gang over the issue of area domination between Rathinapuri and Kannappa Nagar.”
A report by The Hindu, titled ‘Gang wars resurface in Coimbatore: Two hacked to death in public in two days,’ stated, “Police sources said that Gokul was one of the accused involved in the murder of a 22-year-old youth near Saravanampatti in Coimbatore in December 2021…Monday’s murder of Gokul is suspected to be a retaliation by the opposite gang, said the sources.”
The Tamil Nadu Police also tweeted out the video, calling it out as misinformation.
Tamil Nadu DGP Sylendra Babu also termed the videos as “false,” and added that the incidents “are not a clash between Tamil Nadu people and migrant workers.”
This makes it clear that the victim was a local, and not a migrant worker as is being claimed.
Result: False
Sources
Report By Aaj Tak, Dated February 19, 2023
Tweet By Khushbu Sundar, Dated February 22, 2023
Report By Times Of India, Dated January 23, 2023
Report By ETV Bharat, Dated January 22, 2023
Report by News Nine, Dated February 14, 2023
Report By The New Indian Express, Dated February 13, 2023
Tweet By Tamil Nadu Police, Dated March 2, 2023
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
