FAKE NEWS: Mira Road Railway Station Is Not Set On Fire By Rioters

On the eve of the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha, tensions escalated between two groups during a Ram Mandir rally in Naya Nagar, Mira Road, Mumbai, on Sunday night. 

Following the clashes, the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) took action by demolishing illegal structures in Mira Road, sparking various reactions on social media. 

Amidst this chaotic situation, numerous rumors and misinformation are spreading on social media, further intensifying the tension.

One such misleading claim involves a video showing a fire at a railway station. It has been shared asserting that rioters set fire to Mira Road railway station. 

Fact Crescendo received this video with fact-check requests on our WhatsApp Tipline (9049053770).

Our investigation revealed that the viral claim is false. In reality, the viral video is from Santoshpur railway station in West Bengal, where a fire broke out on 6 April 2023. The video is old and unrelated to the current situation in Mira Road.

WHAT’S THE CLAIM?

The video that’s spreading widely online shows a fire at a train station. In the short 12-second clip, people can be seen throwing clothes and stuff onto the railway tracks. 

It has been claimed that this video is from Mira Road railway station. Some are blaming the Bajrang Dal for the fire, while others are accusing a Muslim group of causing the violence.

An audio clip is also going viral along with this video warning people to stay away from the Mira Road station area.

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FACT-CHECK

We have not come across any news reports indicating that Mira Road railway station was set on fire. 

Upon conducting a reverse image search on the key-frames from the viral video, it became evident that the incident was not recent.

The same video clip was reported by several news channels in April 2023. According to these news reports, a massive fire erupted at Santoshpur railway station in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on 6 April 2023.

Times of India reported that the fire broke out at the railway station around 5.30 pm when it was crowded with passengers waiting for trains. No casualty was reported at the time. Several small shops on the railway station platform were destroyed in the blaze.

No Violence at Mira Road Railway Station

Fact Crescendo reached out to several Mumbai police officers for more details about the viral video. 

Chandrakant Sarode, a senior police inspector at Mira Road police station, confirmed that no such incident was reported at Mira Road railway station. He assured that the situation there is calm, advising against believing social media rumors.

Vilas Supe, a senior police inspector at Naya Nagar police station, also clarified that the viral claim is untrue. He stated that there was no violence of that nature at Mira Road railway station.

Vilas Sanap, the Traffic ACP in Mira Road, informed Fact Crescendo that roads are not blocked, and traffic is flowing normally.

Action Against Group Admins

On Wednesday, the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Vihar Police issued a notice urging social media administrators not to forward or share any jokes or videos concerning the clashes during the Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha. The note stated that the police would take action against group administrators who violate this directive.

CONCLUSION

The claim that Mira Road railway station has been set on fire is false. The viral video is from a completely different incident in West Bengal from 6 April 2023. 

Sharing false information can escalate tensions and create panic among the public. It is crucial to verify information before sharing it on social media to prevent the spread of misinformation.

(If you come across any news, videos, or images that seem too good (or bad) to be true, don’t hesitate to send them our way. Our team of fact-checkers will look into it and then share our findings with you. Together, we can fight the spread of fake news and misinformation. Our WhatsApp number is 9049053770. To stay updated, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.)