Old Video of Police Being Beaten in West Bengal Falsely Linked to Waqf Protests

An old video from West Bengal is being given a false communal twist and is being linked to the recent Murshidabad violence.

(Photo: The Quint)

A video showing a mob beating up a policeman is going viral to claim that this is a recent video from West Bengal.

The claim states that the policeman was thrashed by a group of Muslims in Nadia district.

This comes after the nationwide protests that erupted after the passing of the Waqf Amendment bill. West Bengal’s Murshidabad district witnessed violent clashes on 11 April and the claim links the video to this incident.

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(Source: X/Screenshot)

(Similar archives can be seen here and here.)

What's the truth?: This video is from 2019 and is unrelated to the Waqf amendment bill which was passed recently.

Moreover, a false communal angle has been added to this claim.

How did we find out the truth?: We performed a relevant keyword search on Google which led us to a video report shared by ABP ANANDA on 23 June 2019.

• The video carried the same viral clip and stated that it shows a clash between the locals and police in Nabawip police station area.

• We then found a report by ABP which mentioned that tension erupted in Nadia's Nabadwip police station area over death of young man riding a bicycle after being hit by a sand-laden lorry.

• It also mentioned that following the incident, local residents blocked the state highway and when the police went to recover the body, there was a clash with the locals.

More about Murshidabad violence: On 11 April, various Muslim organisations and groups of Imams and muezzins in Dhuliyan municipal town called for a protest march against the Waqf Amendment bill. However, this quickly turned violent.

• Following this, several shops were closed and families were displaced from Murshidabad district.

• Around 230 people in total were arrested in connection with violence in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas district and Murshidabad.

Conclusion: An old video from West Bengal is being given a false communal twist and is being linked to the recent Murshidabad violence.

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