A few days ago, social media users came across a video showing a group of shirtless young men with their hands tied, being marched down the streets. The video implied that these identified Muslim men faced humiliation due to their faith. This incident occurred in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, where Police arrested eight individuals for stone-pelting. However, a closer examination of the incident paints a different picture.
The fake and misleading news was shared by regular fake news spreaders, such as @AsianDigest and @WaqarHasan1231.
The Facts
Their arrest wasn’t due to their religious beliefs, but rather because of their involvement in illegal activities. These individuals had a history of stone pelting in public areas, causing pain to locals. Upon their arrest, the police took them back to the location and paraded them in a partially naked state. They were subsequently required to issue a public apology for their unruly conduct, with the clear purpose of showing that unlawful conduct would not be accepted, irrespective of one’s religion.
Reports suggest that these men engaged in a violent fight, leading to stone-throwing following a verbal dispute. This conduct posed a threat to public safety, leading to their arrest. The Madhya Pradesh Police followed due legal process by reporting cases against these individuals under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The incident of stone-pelting and the conduct by Indore Police is presently under investigation.
The fact is that they used to throw stones at public places and create problems for the common men in the locality, and most of them have criminal records. When they were caught by the police they were brought to the spot, (2/3) pic.twitter.com/5478HiAEWn
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 9, 2023
Debunking the Intent
This video with misleading claims of religious hate serves a broader political agenda. With elections approaching in Madhya Pradesh, opponents seek to exploit the situation. They’re sharing the video to target Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his BJP-led government. Moreover, people circulating fake news seem to protect criminals by using their religion as a shield. They are simply covering the stone-pelting incident by the criminals, thus also targeting the Indore Police.
Conclusion
The incident in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, involving the procession of individuals with criminal histories, was not instigated by religious animus, but rather by the imperative to address criminal conduct, i.e. stone-pelting. The allegations of religious bias in this context lack gravity and are exerted as a tool for political influence. As the inquiry goes on, it is crucial to rely on true information and facts. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread embedded below.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 9, 2023
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: A video that shows a group of shirtless young men tied with a rope and being paraded on the street in full public view has been shared claiming that half-naked Muslim men have been paraded because of Islamophobia. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/aHeZDHY0RQ
Claim: The video suggests that Muslim men were paraded due to Islamophobia.
Fact: The incident in Indore involved parading individuals for engaging in stone-pelting and criminal behaviour, unrelated to religion.
