Recently, a video of a fight between shopkeeper and customers has gone viral on social media platforms. The video shows a crowd involved in a physical altercation and assaulting two individuals. Several users have shared the video and projected it as a mob violence against minorities community in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr. Sharing the video, propagandists have claimed that two Muslim brothers were beaten up by a mob in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, after they went to a shop to exchange some items. However, D-Intent Data has found that these claims are not true.
Video of physical altercation between shopkeeper and customers circulated with communal claims
Several users, influencers, extremists and propagandists have shared the video of physical altercation from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr and made communal claims.
Sharing the video extremist and propagandist account @meerfaisal001 on X (Formerly Twitter) has said. Two Muslim brothers were beaten up by a mob in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, after they went to a shop to exchange some items. The victims, Faizan and Tanzeem, objected after the shop refused to exchange it. They sustained injuries from assaults. The police arrested the victims under CRPC-151 for allegedly breaching the peace”.
Another propaganda account @HateDetectors on X has also shared the video and said, “In UttarPradesh’s #Bulandshahr, two #Muslim brothers were beaten up by mob when they went to exchange some item at shop of Santlal. The shopkeeper rejected to exchange it and the victims Faizan and Tazeem opposed. They were beaten up. The police arrested the victims”.
@SachinGuptaUP has also shared the video and claimed, “Mob violence in UP’s Bulandshahr district.Tanjim and Faizan had gone to Santlal’s shop to exchange carbonate. The shopkeeper there refused. On protest, the mob beat up both the brothers badly. No action was taken against the mob, instead both the brothers who were beaten up were arrested under CRPC-151 (breach of peace).
Official account of Uttar Pradesh Congress has also shared the video and made similar claims.
Several others users, propagandists, extremists and political influencers have shared the video and made same communal claims. Their posts can be seen here. WaqarHasan1231, @afreenfatimaali, @ItsKhan_Saba, @s_afreen7, @AshrafFem, @ZakirAliTyagi, @Rheahaha12, @azizkavish, @dhruvrahtee
Truth about the viral video a fight between shopkeeper and customers, fact-check
As soon as the posts containing the video came to our knowledge. We conducted research and found a video statement of Bulandshahr police in their official X(Formerly Twitter) account.
According to the police, the two youth went to exchange some items at the grocery shop and had some arguments with the shopkeeper over the exchange of items, when the dispute arose between shopkeeper & customers, the two customers called three friends, and started thrashing the shopkeeper. In retaliation, all neighbouring shopkeepers gathered and thrashed them. A case has been registered against both parties. Further action is being taken.
Hence, it is evident from the police statement that the two youth were beaten up after they attacked the shopkeeper.
Intent
So, Propagandists, extremists and political influencers are circulating videos of physical altercation from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr with misleading claims to create communal disharmony and trying to incite communal unrest in the state.
Conclusion
Claim- Two Muslim brothers were beaten up by a mob in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh.
Fact- First they attacked a shopkeeper and then in retaliation neighboring shopkeepers gathered and beat them up.
Related Article: Fact-Check: Scripted video of Hindu man being insulted inside mosque shared as real incident – D-Intent Data (dintentdata.com)
