A video from Haridwar, showing a man identifying himself as Javed Hussain and passing communally charged remarks against the Hindu community, is going viral on the internet.
What are users claiming?: Sagar Kumar, a journalist with Sudarshan News – a channel that has been called out multiple times for spreading misinformation – shared the video with a caption saying, "Save my Uttarakhand."
(Note: We have refrained from sharing the video and archives of the same due to the communal nature of the remarks.)
Sagar Kumar has previously shared misinformation and has been fact-checked.
(Source: X (formerly Twitter)/Screenshot)
The video had garnered around 1,17,000 views at the time of writing this report.
Is it true?:
According to Haridwar police, the person in the viral video was identified as Dilip Baghel – a Hindu man from Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
Police further added that Baghel was given money and intoxicants by two YouTubers.
Baghel has been arrested by the police and they are searching for the people who made him say the things seen in the viral video.
How did we find out?: SSP Haridwar, Pramendra Dobhal and SP City Haridwar, Swatantra Kumar Singh spoke to the media regarding the incident and stated that the person in the viral video was not a Muslim man as claimed.
SSP's statement: The person in the video has been identified as Dilip Baghel, a resident from Agra who was seen passing communal remarks in the video.
The matter had been registered in the Kotwali Nagar police station under Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for passing statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes.
Baghel, who is now arrested, was intoxicated by some people and was encouraged by them to speak in the video.
SP's statement: The SP told the media that the person was as a Hindu and not a Muslim and had been arrested as the matter was sensitive and could disrupt peace in the state.
The police official also mentioned that the police is on a lookout for the YouTuber who lured the man with money in exchange of speaking communal contents in the video.
The Quint accessed the copy of the First Information Report (FIR) that was filed on 25 October in the Kotwali Nagar police station. A case has been registered under Section 505 (2) of the IPC against two unknown people.
Accused's Confession: Uttarakhand police's official X account had earlier posted a video of the accused accepting that he was Dilip Baghel and not Muslim person.
In the video, Baghel reiterated that he was made to say those things by two people who gave him intoxicants.
Conclusion: According to the police, the person in the viral video belonged to the Hindu community and was made to say these things after being given money and intoxicants.
(With inputs from Piyush Rai.)
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