CLAIM
A video showing two people on fire is being shared on social media platforms with the claim that atrocities are being committed against Dalits and Muslims under the Modi government.
The message accompanying the video reads, “जबरन कब्जा करा रही पुलिस व भाजपा नेता रोकने पर दलित को जिन्दा जला दिया | मोदी राज में सबसे ज्यादा दलितों व मुस्लिमो पर जुलम किए जा रहे हैं। दलितों को जिंदा जला दिया कानून व्यवस्था चौपट हो गई है। यह भारत देश है यहां पर गरीबों की नहीं सुनी जाती.”
It loosely translates to, “Police and BJP leader were forcibly trying to capture, but they were set on fire. Under the Modi government, maximum atrocities are committed against Dalits and Muslims.”
The Quint received a query regarding video’s veracity. However, we aren’t attaching a clip of the video due to its graphic nature.
TRUE OR FALSE?
The claim that comes along with the video is false. The video is originally from Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura, and it shows a couple setting themselves on fire inside a police station following police inaction against their neighbour, reportedly a local muscleman, who had been harassing them for a long time.
WHAT DID WE FIND OUT
On using keywords ‘couple self immolation police station’, we came across multiple news reports which suggested that it took place in Mathura.
Speaking to The Quint, Surir police station SHO confirmed that the incident had nothing to do with atrocities against Dalits, and that the accused was not affiliated with the BJP. A local reporter also confirmed the same.
While we couldn’t find the original video, a Times of India report carried the video which matched with the one being circulated online currently.
According to the news report, the victims, aged 45 and 43, were allegedly being harassed by a man named Satyapal Singh. Speaking to the daily, the couple’s 14-year-old son said that the man was repeatedly harassing his parents and misbehaving with his mother, but despite repeated complaints, the police didn’t take any action.
Mathura SSP Shalabh Mathur, too, admitted that no FIR was registered against the accused on 23 August as claimed by the couple's son. However, he added that now an FIR has been registered against the accused.
The daily also reported that the SSP suspended three police officers of the Surir police station for failing to take action against the accused.
The Quint also spoke to the couple’s son, Jagdish, who said that his parents took their lives due to police inaction. He also corroborated that the man accused of harassing his parents had nothing to do with the BJP.
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