Authors
Vaibhav is a part of Newschecker’s English team, where he spots and debunks all kinds of misinformation, making the rounds on the internet. A Journalism graduate from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, he holds an M.A degree in Philosophy and an M.Phil from Delhi University.
Yet another week, and yet another slew of misinformation on social media. Fallout of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Mohammed continued to dictate social media trends. From an old video of an elderly Muslim man beaten in UP, to an old story of an 8-year-old Yemeni child bleeding to death after her wedding night, and a viral forward claiming that railways would restore senior citizen concession from July 1, 2022, here are our top 5 fact checks from the past week:
Viral Story Of 8-Year-Old Yemeni Child Bride Bleeding To Death On Wedding Night Is Misleading
A screenshot of an article titled ‘8-Year-Old Child Bride Dies From Internal Bleeding After Her Wedding Night,’ is going viral on social media platforms. The screengrab also carries the photographs of a young girl- seemingly dressed in wedding attire, and an elderly man with a long flowing beard and a skull cap. The article has been authored by one ‘Harsh Pardeshi,’ and is being shared as a recent incident. Newschecker found that the viral screengrab to be misleading. Read the full story here.
Video Showing Police Crackdown During Covid Lockdown Falsely Linked To Demolition Aftermath In UP
A video showing an elderly Muslim man being thrashed by police officers is being widely shared by social media users, claiming to show ‘radicalised Hindutva cops’ attacking a Muslim man. The video is being shared in the context of recent demolitions in Uttar Pradesh after protests over Nupur Sharma’s remarks on the prophet, and police crackdown on protesters in Jharkhand, both of which have come under intense criticism. Newschecker found the video was from 2020 showing an elderly Muslim man being beaten for violating COVID lockdown norms in Bareilly. Read more here.
Policeman In Kolkata Killed By Rioters? Viral Claim Is False
Amid the ongoing controversy over comments made by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad, protests erupted in many states including Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Maharashtra, Delhi, and West Bengal. In light of these events a video of a policeman lying on the road with blood spattered across the ground is going viral on social media along with the claim that the policeman was killed by the rioters in West Bengal. Newschecker found that the policeman found dead in Kolkata was not murdered by rioters but rather committed suicide by shooting himself.. Read more here.
Railways To Restore Senior Citizen Concession From July 1? No, Viral Message Is Not True
A message claiming that the Railway Ministry has resumed the concessions offered to senior citizens with effect from July 1, 2022 has found its way on social media platforms after circulating widely on WhatsApp. The message claims that the Ministry has announced a 40% concession for male travellers over 60 years of age, while 50% for females aged 58 years and above. Newschecker found the claim to be untrue. Read more here
Man Explaining ‘Philosophy Of Happy Life’ In Viral Video Is Not A Supreme Court Judge
A video showing a man explaining the ‘philosophy of a happy life’ is doing the rounds on social media platforms. Those who shared the video claim that the man seen in the video is a Supreme Court judge. Newschecker found that the man in the video is not a Supreme Court Judge but rather Chairman of Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Rajeev Vederah. Read more here.
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Authors
Vaibhav is a part of Newschecker’s English team, where he spots and debunks all kinds of misinformation, making the rounds on the internet. A Journalism graduate from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, he holds an M.A degree in Philosophy and an M.Phil from Delhi University.
