A video circulating online depicts a civilian confronting police officers and subsequently being placed into a police vehicle during an arrest. The footage has been shared with the claim that it shows Uttar Pradesh Police taking action against stone pelters who targeted a train en route to the Maha Kumbh. However, this claim is false and misleading. Our investigation reveals that the video is from Birbhum, West Bengal, and is unrelated to any incident involving stone pelters on trains.
Sharing the video on X (Formerly Twitter), propaganda account @RealBababanaras wrote, “Police serving the stone pelters who pelted stones at the train going to Maha Kumbh by evicting them from their homes.”.
Police serving the stone pelters who pelted stones at the train going to Maha Kumbh by evicting them from their homes. pic.twitter.com/o07tHyFdVw
— Baba Banaras™ (@RealBababanaras) February 2, 2025
Another propaganda account, @FrontalForce, also shared the video and wrote, “UP Police serving the stone pelters who pelted stones at the train going to Maha Kumbh by evicting them from their homes.”
UP Police serving the stone pelters who pelted stones at the train going to Maha Kumbh by evicting them from their homes. pic.twitter.com/hknjXRWNXD
— Frontalforce 🇮🇳 (@FrontalForce) February 2, 2025
The truth behind the claims of clash from Uttar Pradesh, 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 from West Bengal, not Uttar Pradesh.
To verify the claims made by propagandists. We performed a reverse image search of some keyframes from the viral video using Google Lens. This led us to media reports containing the same visuals. According to reports (1, 2, 3), the video is from Birbhum, West Bengal, and dates back to January 28, 2025. The incident involved a clash between two factions of TMC workers, during which some police officers were harassed. Approximately 20 individuals were arrested in connection with the incident. The video has no connection to the Kumbh Mela or the UP Police.
Therefore, it is evident from verified sources that the video was from West Bengal and unrelated to the stone pelting on trains in Uttar Pradesh.
2915
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) February 2, 2025
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: A video showing a civilian clashing with police officers and being taken into a police vehicle during an arrest has been circulated with the claim that it depicts Uttar Pradesh Police taking action against stone pelters who targeted a train (1/3) pic.twitter.com/84XU6UBrcc
Intent
Influencers and propagandists are circulating videos from West Bengal with misleading claims to set their narrative over Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
Conclusion
Claim– The video depicts the Uttar Pradesh police taking action against miscreants for pelting stones on trains.
Fact– The video was from West Bengal’s Birbhum, depicting a clash between political workers and police.
Related Article: Fact Check: Two cousins found murdered in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, propagandists circulate casteist claims – D-Intent Data
