Viral Test: The truth behind man beating cop in viral video
There is a man beating a policeman in a viral video. It is claimed that the man thrashing the cop is a BJP leader. We investigated and tried to find out the truth.
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India Today Fact Check
The accused, Hari Om Gupta, told India Today Fact Check that he is not part of the BHJP. He added the scuffle broke out after a dispute over seats in an e-rickshaw.
Law and order has always been a sensitive issue in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Successive state governments in the state have been accused of giving free run to criminals. Has this changed under Yogi Adityanath government?
In a viral video it is being claimed that a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader is beating cop over a minor tussle. The place in the video which has been shared over 94,000 times on Facebook is claimed to be of UP's Faizabad.
We decided to fact-check the claims being made on the social media.
The incident recorded on camera happened on April 2 at the Deokali overbridge in Faizabad district. The cop being beaten up is constable Rajesh Yadav posted at Mahrajganj police station.
At the time of the incident he was posted at the security of Ram Janmabhoomi compound.
Additional superintendent of police, Faizabad city, told India Today that FIR (No 0173) has been registered in this matter with Ayodhya police station naming a local Hari Om Gupta, the man in white kurta paijama and another unknown person.
It states that the constable was looking for transport to reach Ayodhya at around 10.15 am when a scuffle broke out, and he was beaten up by locals.
Accused Hari Om Gupta told India Today that the scuffle broke out after dispute over seat in e-rickshaw.
But is the accused a member of the ruling BJP as claimed in the Facebook post?
Accused Gupta claims that he is not a member of the BJP, he said that he is not related to any political party.
Additional superintendent of police, Faizabad Arun Kumar concurred. He told India Today 'Preliminary investigation conducted do not reflect his closeness to any political party.'
BJP Faizabad district chief Avdesh Pandey also confirmed to India Today that there is no functionary in their local unit by the name of Hari Om Gupta.
From our investigation it is clear that while the video was shot in Faizabad but the man beating the cop does not belong to the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party.
So the allegation made in the Facebook post is factually incorrect.
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