A video of a boy being brutally thrashed by two policemen as he keeps on crying and pleading is being shared on social media with the claim that cops from the Uttar Pradesh police had beaten him up as he raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans in the state.
However, we found that the video is from 2021 from Chandauli district in Uttar Pradesh (UP).
According to news reports, three minor boys, including the one in the viral video, were thrashed by policemen in Mathela village, over mobile phone theft allegations. After the video surfaced online, the two cops were suspended from duty.
CLAIM
The video is being shared with the claim in Hindi that reads, "अपने एक वोट की कीमत देखिए.! उत्तर प्रदेश में.. पाकिस्तान जिंदाबाद के नारे लगाने के बाद यूपी पुलिस सबक सिखाते हुऐ.! पूरे देश में योगीजी जैसी सरकार हो.? जयहिंद..जयभारत.!"
(Translation: Look at the value of your vote. In UP, after raising slogans of "Pakistan Zindabad", UP police taught him a lesson. There should be a government like the one ruled by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath everywhere.)
(Trigger Warning: The videos in the links below may be distressing to some. Viewer's discretion is advised.)
An archive of the tweet can be seen here.
(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)
The claim is widely shared on Facebook.
(Source: Facebook/Screenshot)
WHAT WE FOUND
We looked up with keywords in Hindi on Google and found a news report by published on Amar Ujala, a Hindi daily, from 2 May 2021.
The report read that some minor boys were brutally beaten up by police over allegations of mobile theft at Mathela village in Chanduali district, UP.
After the video surfaced online, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) took note and later Shivanand Verma, in-charge of Kailawar outpost, under the jurisdiction of Balua police station, and constable Dilip Kumar were suspended.
The story was published on 2 May 2021.
(Source: Amar Ujala/Screenshot)
We also found other news reports on the other websites such as Live Hindustan as well as on The Times of India published on 6 May 2021. The TOI report read that the minor boys were trying to break into a mobile shop, when they were caught.
We also found the video, which wasn't blurred, published on a website called 'UP Khabar' on 2 May 2021, and made a side-by-side comparison with the viral video.
We can see the boys in the same dress as well as the tubewell in both the videos.
Similarities in the viral video and 'UP Khabar' video.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
Further, we found a tweet on the official handle of Chandauli police, quote-tweeting a user's tweet, that is now deleted, saying that the police officials were suspended for the "inhumane behaviour" and cautioned social media users to verify before sharing anything.
An archive of the tweet can be seen here.
(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)
Clearly, an old video of cops thrashing minor boys over alleged mobile phones theft accusations is being shared falsely claiming they were beaten up for raising pro-Pakistan slogans.
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