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| - A video is viral on social media where a group of people dressed as sadhus are seen seated on the ground while the individual behind the camera asks their names. In response, they mention their names as Sunil, Gopi and Gaurav. While sharing this video, it is being claimed that three people were going around in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh dressed as sadhus, and were caught by locals who believed them to be child-lifters. Following this, the video of these sadhus being beaten also came to light. Several people shared it on social media and claimed that these were a group of Muslims posing as sadhus.
◆ मेरठ में तीन साधुओं को बच्चा चोरी और नकली साधु समझकर डंडों से बुरी तरह पीटा गया!
◆ पुलिस ने मौके पर पहुंचकर तीनों साधुओं को हिरासत में लिया। पूछताछ में पता चला कि ये तीनों साधु हरियाणा के यमुनानगर के निवासी हैं और भीख मांगते हैं!#meerut #UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/QSxv9WQa4U
— 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 (@NetaClix) July 14, 2024
Sudarshan News shared the video and claimed that the public caught the trio in Meerut while they were roaming around dressed in sadhu’s attire. It also claimed that one of them had an Aadhar card in the name of Mohd. Shamim. (Archived link)
मेरठ में साधु बनकर घूम रहे 3 लोगो को पब्लिक ने पकड़ा
पूछताछ में नाम बताया सोहन , आधार कार्ड में निकाला “मो० शमीम”
“मो० शमीम” अपने गैंग के साथ भगवा कपड़े पहनकर हिंदू मोहल्लों की करता था रेकी
पब्लिक ने तीनों पर बच्चे चुराने का भी लगाया आरोप@meerutpolice @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/PlowznsQM3
— Sudarshan UP (@SudarshanNewsUp) July 13, 2024
Ajay Chauhan, a handle which regularly shares misinformation, amplified the video and claimed that the people being beaten were Bangladeshis who were asking for donations for the temple in the guise of sadhus. (Archived link)
Rajat Mishra of Sudarshan News also shared the video on X and identified the individuals as Mohammad Shamim and his gang. In addition, Sagar Kumar of the same outlet quoted it and wrote that Mohammad Shamid used to perform recces of the same locality wearing saffron attire along with his gang.
Fact Check
Alt News examined the official X handle of Meerut Police and found a statement from them in this matter. Responding to Sudarshan News, Meerut Police said that after its personnel reached the scene, the three sadhus were brought to the police station. Upon being interrogated, it was found that all three were sadhus of the Nath sect from Yamunanagar, Haryana, who had been asking for alms. In other words, the group was neither Muslim nor Bangladeshi.
मेरठ में साधु बनकर घूम रहे 3 लोगो को पब्लिक ने पकड़ा
पूछताछ में नाम बताया सोहन , आधार कार्ड में निकाला “मो० शमीम”
“मो० शमीम” अपने गैंग के साथ भगवा कपड़े पहनकर हिंदू मोहल्लों की करता था रेकी
पब्लिक ने तीनों पर बच्चे चुराने का भी लगाया आरोप@meerutpolice @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/PlowznsQM3
— Sudarshan UP (@SudarshanNewsUp) July 13, 2024
In an initial statement, the police had denied that the sadhus were taken hostage and beaten up. However, they issued a second statement saying that they had taken cognisance of the matter and called two people to the police station for questioning after which they would take further action.
साधु संतों के साथ किसी भी प्रकार की अभद्रता को बर्दाश्त नहीं किया जायेगा
थाना लिसाडी गेट क्षेत्र में साधुओ से मारपीट की वायरल वीडियो के सम्बन्ध में पुलिस अधीक्षक नगर मेरठ द्वारा वीडियो बाईट। pic.twitter.com/OfCwBy2k7r
— Pooja Goswami 🇮🇳 (@iPoojaGoswami_1) July 14, 2024
According to a report published on Hindustan’s website on July 14, police had initially denied any assault had occurred. After the video had gone viral, the police arrested three people in the case.
To sum it up, several social media users, including Sudarshan News and its employees, shared a video of sadhus being held hostage with the false claim that they were Muslims arrested in Meerut who were roaming around posing as sadhus. Several users also claimed that they were from Bangladesh. However, in reality, they were indeed sadhus belonging to the Nath sect from Haryana.
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