Several days ago, an unfortunate incident unfolded at the historic Fatehpur Sikri fort in Uttar Pradesh, India, when a wooden railing gave way, leading to the tragic death of a 61-year-old French woman, Esma Boudjakbji Ben Yelles. This incident, captured in a distressing video, quickly circulated on social media, sparking outrage and questions about safety at the famous tourist site.

In the wake of this tragedy, some individuals and social media users, including @Manishkumarttp and @AsianDigest, chose to exploit the situation for propagandist purposes. They falsely claimed that the delay in the arrival of the ambulance and alleged carelessness by authorities led to Esma Boudjakbji Ben Yelles’s death. Such unfounded accusations and attempts to tarnish the reputation of India & the Uttar Pradesh government are both irresponsible and misleading.

Furthermore, it is essential to mention that certain news outlets, including the news portal @timesofindia, also reported on the incident inaccurately. They claimed that the woman died from falling from a damaged railing, which does not align with the facts presented by officials.

What Actually Happened?

The incident occurred around 1 p.m. when a group of five French tourists including that woman Esma Boudjakbji Ben Yelles, attempted to take photographs at Fatehpur Sikri fort. Tragically, the wooden railing they leaned on gave way, leading to the tourist falling from a nine-feet-high platform.

Contrary to some misleading claims, there was no evidence to suggest that the railing was already damaged or in poor condition. According to officials, the railing collapsed under the combined weight of the tourists. It’s important to note that Fatehpur Sikri, like many historical sites, has strict rules against leaning on or interacting with its structures.

Once the incident occurred, immediate efforts were made to provide medical care to Esma Boudjakbji Ben Yelles. An ambulance was dispatched, although it took approximately 45 minutes to reach the site. The injured tourist was initially taken to S N Medical College in Agra, about 40 kilometres from Fatehpur Sikri, and subsequently shifted to Ujala Cygnus Rainbow, a private hospital in Sikandra. Unfortunately, despite medical efforts, she was declared dead.

Following this tragic incident, an inquiry was initiated by the authorities, and it was made clear that appropriate action would be taken if any negligence was found. The incident is being thoroughly investigated, including postmortem examination.

Conclusion:

In this tragic incident at Fatehpur Sikri, an unforeseeable accident resulted in the loss of a French woman’s life. The wooden railing did not collapse due to pre-existing damage but gave way under the pressure of multiple individuals leaning on it. The response time for medical care was subject to the circumstances of the location, and an inquiry is ongoing to ensure accountability if any negligence is found. An inquiry is underway to determine any potential negligence, but propagandist narratives are not supported by verified information. Following a precise analysis and fact-checking, our team has reviewed the claim. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread below. To know more, read full details from the article by the Indian Express, click here [archive].

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ANALYSIS: Misleading

FACT: A video of an unfortunate incident from Fatehpur Sikri that shows a French woman lying unconscious has been shared misleadingly claiming that she had fallen from the damaged wooden railing at Fatehpur Sikri fort. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/bEcwExcWqA

— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 23, 2023

Claim: A French woman died in Fatehpur Sikri due to the authorities’ negligence or the poor condition of the railing.

Fact: The incident was a tragic accident, and there is no evidence to support the misleading claims about the delay in medical care or the condition of the railing.

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