A disturbing video has circulated, depicting a group of people assaulting a helpless individual. This incident has been misrepresented as a religion-based hate crime against the Muslim community, with emphasis on the victim’s name and religious identity. However, D-Intent Data has found these claims of religiously motivated violence are unfounded.
Sharing the video on X (Formerly Twitter) serial fake news peddler and propagandist account @iamharunkhan wrote. “Muslim youth “Arshad” was tied up and brutally beaten in Dataganj, Budaun. Due to the beating, the skin of many parts of his body was torn off”. As of now, the post has received more than 100k views, 2.6k likes and a significant number of engagements.
Several other users, influencers and propagandists have also disseminated the video and made similar claims. Their posts can be seen here, @sadiksln, @md_mehfuzalam
The truth about the video of man brutally beaten up, Fact Check
As soon as the posts containing the sensitive video and claims came to our notice. Subsequently, we conducted research and analysis of the incident and found that the incident was not related to a religion-based hate crime. But involved a personal enmity between two groups of the Muslim community.
To verify the claims made by the users. We performed a reverse image search of some key frames from the viral video on Google Lens. But couldn’t find any verified source. Further, we ran a relevant keyword search and found multiple reports regarding the incident. According to the media reports, in a shocking incident in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, a youth was held hostage, beaten and electrocuted because of his brother’s love marriage.
As per the reports(Jagran), When Aamir, a resident of Nalapar in the city, married a girl from a higher caste, the girl’s family kidnapped Aamir’s younger brother Arshad. They took him to their house, held him hostage, gave him electric shocks and beat him with belts, iron chains and sticks. They beat him all night and left him in a dying condition. Then in the morning they accused him of theft and left him on the roadside and ran away.
According to the Times of India, A man was tied to a pole, brutally beaten, tonsured, and paraded through the streets of Budaun late Tuesday night(24 September ) after being suspected of theft. Police have booked 10 people and arrested three men Jameel, Lalla, and Zulfiqar so far.
Therefore, it is evident from D-Intent Data’s Fact Check that the incident was not related to a religious hate crime against a Muslim individual but involved a personal enmity between two groups of the Muslim community.
Intent
Social media users, influencers and propagandists are circulating sensitive videos with misleading claims to set their narrative based on religion.
Conclusion
Claim– A Muslim individual brutally assaulted in a religious hate crime in Uttar Pradesh’s Budaun.
Fact– The incident involved a personal enmity between two groups of the Muslim community. All the accused and victim belonged to the same community.
Related Article: Fact Check: Young man murdered in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh due to old enmity, propagandists spread communal claims – D-Intent Data (dintentdata.com)
