In Uttarakhand, a Muslim man was accused that he raped a minor girl. A video circulated on social media platforms showed this man with a partially shaved head and a blackened face. The video was shared by many, the main ones being @HindutvaWatchIn, @007AliSohrab, @AsianDigest and @TurkiyeUrdu_, with the claim that he was punished for having an interfaith relationship. However, this claim is misleading.

The Real Story

Upon closer examination of the facts surrounding this incident, it becomes apparent that the viral video’s narrative is not entirely accurate. While the video indeed shows a man being beaten, the reasons behind this act are different from what has been claimed. The man in the video is actually a rape accused from Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. He was accused of raping and impregnating a minor girl. The case has been registered under the POCSO Act. The police have arrested the accused and further action is being taken.

The alleged rape came to light after the video went viral showing local residents parading the accused, blackening his face and partially shaving his head at a market in Badiyargarh under Kirti Nagar block. The 23-year-old Muslim man was paraded for allegedly raping and impregnating a minor girl. The accused was later arrested by the revenue police who initiated the process of transferring the case to the regular police.

Legal Proceedings

An FIR has been registered by Uttarakhand Police under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act on the basis of a complaint by the girl’s uncle against the Muslim man who allegedly raped a minor. The revenue police have begun the process of transferring the case to regular police and have also written to Tehri senior superintendent of police Navneet Singh.

Conclusion

The video was circulated by propaganda accounts with false claims to defend the criminals and to set propaganda based on religion, here in this Uttarakhand case the propagandists wanted to save the Muslim man who allegedly raped a minor. Their intent was to spread religious hate and misinformation. The claim that the man in the video was punished for having an interfaith relationship is false. He is a rape accused who has been arrested by the police for his crime. 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 about the incident, read the article by Hindustan Times [archive].

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ANALYSIS: Misleading

FACT: Propaganda accounts are circulating a video that shows a man with his blackened face and partially shaved head claiming that a Muslim youth was beaten, his head shaved, and his face blacked for having an interfaith relationship. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/OqDnXnYU3A

— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) September 30, 2023

Claim: A Muslim youth was beaten, his head shaved, and his face blackened for having an interfaith relationship.

Fact: The Muslim man in the video is a rape accused who allegedly raped a minor and now has been arrested by the Uttarakhand police.

Also Read: Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh — People Break Rules, Police Take Action, Propagandists Circulate Old News With Communal Claims: Fact-Check