An image showing people handling a shotgun and arranging ammunition on a wooden surface has been shared with false claims that three Indian pirates were beaten by locals while attempting to attack and take Bangladeshi fishermen hostage in Dublar Char, Bay of Bengal. The claim further alleges that the pirates were later arrested with weapons and handed over to the Coast Guard station. However, these claims are entirely fake and fabricated, we found that these attackers were Bangladeshi bandits, not Indians.
Sharing the image on X (Formerly Twitter) propaganda account @Defres360 (2) wrote, 03 Indian pirates were beaten up by locals while attacking and taking hostages of Bangladeshi fishermen in Dublar Char in the Bay of Bengal. Later, the three pirates were arrested along with weapons and handed over to the Coast Guard station. Bangladesh Coast Guard has been conducting operations since last night to catch the remaining fugitive Indian pirates.
03 Indian pirates were beaten up by locals while attacking and taking hostages of Bangladeshi fishermen in Dublar Char in the Bay of Bengal. Later, the three pirates were arrested along with weapons and handed over to the Coast Guard station.
— Defence research forum DRF (@Defres360) January 27, 2025
1/2 pic.twitter.com/6mNzETqR1i
Bangladesh-based media outlet (dailyinqilab.com) also disseminated the claims and wrote. “Fishermen catch 3 Indian bandits during robbery and hand them over to the coast guard.”
Several other users and propagandists have also amplified the claims, their posts can be seen here, @ZLudolf, @AbbasKadir84220.
The truth behind the claims, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the image and claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis regarding the claims. We found that these claims about Indian pirates were false and fabricated. The arrested bandits were not Indians, but Bangladeshi.
To verify the claims made by propagandists. We performed a reverse image search using Google Lens. This led us to multiple reports (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) containing the same image. The media reports confirm that three bandits were arrested during a robbery in Khulna, along with weapons. The arrested individuals have been identified as Rabiul, son of Abdul Aziz from Munshiganj Union; Munna from Amratola, Mongla; and one other whose identity is yet to be confirmed. The narrative about Indian pirates is entirely baseless and self-invented.
Therefore, it is evident from verified sources that the pirates were not Indians, but Bangladeshi.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) January 27, 2025
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: An image showing people handling a shotgun and arranging ammunition on a wooden surface has been shared with false claims that three Indian pirates were beaten by locals while attempting to attack and take Bangladeshi fishermen hostage (1/4) pic.twitter.com/QnZ83RGvKV
Intent
Extremist propaganda accounts and media outlets are circulating false and self-invented claims to set their narrative against India.
Conclusion
Claim– Three Indian pirates were beaten by locals while attempting to attack Bangladeshi fishermen in Dublar Char, Bay of Bengal.
Fact– These pirates were not Indians, but Bangladeshis
Related Article: Fact Check: Old video of woman’s body lying in maize field in West Bengal falsely shared as Bangladesh – D-Intent Data
