A few days ago, a video began circulating on social media depicting an old monk being humiliated by a young man, being physically assaulted and the young man further forcibly cuts his hair and beard. The video was accompanied by claims that the perpetrator belonged to a specific community and had targeted a Hindu monk. The incident, however, took place in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, back in May 2022. The misleading circulation of this old video has triggered unneeded tensions in the area due to communal claims.
The video’s resurgence is due to the misleading efforts of specific individuals seeking to sow discord and promote misinformation. Notably, the initial sharing of the video came from accounts known for spreading fake news and propaganda. Sudhir Mishra (@Sudhir_mish), a self-proclaimed journalist and propagandist, was among the first to share the video with misleading captions. This misleading post was further shared by several other accounts such as @ksekuldeep, @anujPal50037043, @HindusthanPostH and many others, thus, leading to the video’s widespread circulation.
The True Incident: Historical Context and Details
The video portrays a tense argument between a young man and an elderly monk. Contrary to claims, the incident has no connection with minority communities. The individual responsible for the assault, Pravin Gaur, forcibly cut the monk’s hair as he sought alms. The Khandwa Superintendent of Police, Vivek Singh, clarified that the disagreement arose between Gaur, who operates a hotel, and the monk, who relied on donations for his livelihood. This disagreement escalated into a physical altercation, leading Gaur to assault the monk and cut his hair.
In our investigation, we found out that the video is from May 2022. The misinformation surrounding the incident was prevalent even then, with misleading claims being disseminated across social media platforms. A report of May 24, 2022, highlighted the details of the incident. Superintendent Vivek Singh’s statement confirmed that the assault and hair-cutting had occurred due to a dispute between the monk and Pravin Gaur. The incident was localized and unrelated to any communal affiliations.
In conclusion, the video depicting the altercation between a young man and an elderly monk is not a recent incident, as claimed by its circulating captions. It is an old video from Khandwa, MP, dating back to May 2022. The attempt to link this incident with communal affiliations is baseless and misleading. Misinformation, propagated by certain accounts with intent, has led to the video’s viral resurgence. Following comprehensive analysis and meticulous fact-checking, our team has investigated the claim. You can refer to the findings of this inquiry in the Twitter thread embedded below and you can also refer to 2022’s articles of AajTak [archive] and Navbharat Times [archive] for a better understanding of the whole incident.
Claim: An old video of an altercation between a young man and an elderly monk in Khandwa, MP, is being falsely circulated as a recent incident with communal claims.
Fact: The video, which shows the young man forcibly cutting the monk’s hair, dates back to May 2022 and has no connection to minority communities; it was a result of a dispute between the monk and the assailant.
In our pursuit of accurate and unbiased information, we’ve diligently fact-checked the claims surrounding the incident. Misinformation can sow discord and disrupt communal harmony. Your support matters greatly in our mission to foster an informed and united society. Together, let’s strive to make India and Indians proud, upholding truth and unity. Jai Hind.
