Fact Check: Old video of mob violence and arson from Sylhet, Bangladesh, falsely shared as West Bengal’s Malda 

A video showing a mob engaging in violence and arson, setting vehicles on fire, is being circulated with the claim that it depicts the recent violence in Malda, West Bengal, India. However, we found that this is an old video from Bangladesh, where vehicles were vandalized during a Torch procession in Sylhet in November 2023. It is not related to West Bengal, India.

Sharing the video on X (Formerly Twitter) @Achintya_Hindu wrote, “An unprecedented display of harmony in Hindu shops by Jihadi peace forces in Mothabari, Malda.” ( Translated from Bengali). Later, he deleted the post.

Propaganda account @MeghUpdates also disseminated the video and wrote, “As Mamata is in UK, Horrific Video showing radical mob on a rampage, attacking Hindu shops and burning properties in Malda’s Mothabari dist of WB has gone viral on SM”. Later, he deleted the post.

Several other users, influencers and propagandists have also disseminated the video and made similar claims. Their posts can be seen here, @SonOfBharat7, @ocjain4, @trunicle, @BattaKashmiri, @JaipurDialogues, @Raviagrawal300, @Amit_Thakur_BJP, @jimmyjvyas, @MajiDevDutta.

The truth about the viral video of Mob Violence, Fact Check 

As soon as the posts containing the video and claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis of the video. We found that the video was not from West Bengal, India but an old incident from Bangladesh’s Sylhet.

To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a reverse image search of some key frames from the viral video using Google Lens. This led us to media reports (1, 2) containing the same visuals published in November 2023. According to media reports, this is an old video from Bangladesh, where vehicles were vandalized during a Torch procession in Sylhet in November 2023. 

BNP leaders and activists held a torchlight procession in Sylhet in support of the blockade. Several vehicles were vandalized and set on fire during the march. The incident took place in the Subid Bazar area of the city around 7 pm on November 26, 2023.

Therefore, it is evident from verified sources that the video was not from West Bengal, India, but an old incident from Sylhet, Bangladesh.

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ANALYSIS: Misleading

FACT: A video showing a mob engaging in violence and arson, setting vehicles on fire, is being circulated with the claim that it depicts the recent violence in Malda, West Bengal,India. However, we found that this is an old video from Bangladesh, (1/3) pic.twitter.com/zVgwFgibcI

— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) March 28, 2025

Intent

Influencers are circulating old videos from Bangladesh with misleading claims to set their narrative in India.

Conclusion

Claim– The video depicts a recent mob violence at Mothabari, Malda, West Bengal.

Fact– The video was not from West Bengal, India, but an old incident from Sylhet, Bangladesh.

Related Article: Fact Check: Video of a mob torturing suspected robbers in Dhaka’s Uttara falsely shared with communal claims – D-Intent Data