Extremist propagandists are spreading a misleading image of a person in police custody, falsely alleging that an Indian man named Pramod Rathore was arrested in Japan for molesting a Japanese schoolgirl. However, these claims are entirely fabricated and untrue. Reports confirm that the individual arrested in connection with the incident is a Pakistani man named Afzal Mohammed, who was taken into custody for allegedly molesting a high school girl on a JR Chuo Line train in September 2024.
Sharing the image on X (Formerly Twitter) serial fake news peddler and propagandist account @AsianDigest wrote. “Pramod Rathore of Haryana arrested in Japan for molesting Japanese Girl”.
Another propaganda account @SAChroniclesX also disseminated the image and wrote. “Pramod Rathore of Haryana was arrested in Japan for molesting a Japanese Girl!!”.
Pramod Rathore of Haryana was arrested in Japan for molesting Japanese Girl!! pic.twitter.com/8KkbiggnG2
— South Asian Chronicles (@SAChroniclesX) January 20, 2025
The truth behind the claims from Japan, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the image and claims came to our attention. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis regarding the claims. We found that the arrested individual was a Pakistani national, not an Indian.
To verify the claims made by propagandists. We performed a reverse image search using Google Lens. This led us to initial posts and media reports 1 containing the image. According to a report and initial posts (1, 2), a 31-year-old Pakistani man, Afzal Muhammad, was arrested on Thursday for sexually assaulting a female high school student on a JR Chuo Line train in Tokyo, Japan.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Muhammad reportedly groped the girl on a Takao Station-bound train last month, forced her off at the last stop, and assaulted her in nearby bushes. The case has sparked outrage and raised concerns over public safety.
Therefore, it is evident from verified sources that the claims about an Indian man being arrested in Japan for molesting a girl were false and fabricated.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) January 21, 2025
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: Propagandists are circulating an image of an individual in police custody with the claim that an Indian man, Pramod Rathore, was arrested in Japan for molesting a Japanese schoolgirl. The fact is that the accused was from Pakistan. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/mn4hFLJnxh
Intent
Extremist propagandist accounts are circulating old images from Japan with misleading claims to target Indians.
Conclusion
Claim– Indian man Pramod Rathore of Haryana was arrested in Japan for molesting a Japanese Girl.
Fact– A Pakistani man named Afzal Mohammed was arrested for molesting a high school girl on a JR Chuo Line train in September 2024.
Related Article: Fact Check: A scripted video of a Sadhu molesting a girl circulated as a real-life incident video – D-Intent Data
