For the past few days, there has been a huge controversy over the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. On November 24, the second phase of the survey was conducted on the orders of the court, in which the Hindu side claimed that the place was not a mosque but was earlier a Harihar temple. Then, during the survey itself, violence broke out outside the mosque in which four people were killed, according to reports. However, the miscreants are being identified and arrested. Linking to this incident, a video of a mosque went viral on social media. The video shows footage of a vandalized mosque. It shows burnt items and broken wings of the fans inside the mosque. Social media users are sharing this video, claiming it to be the footage inside the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal.
However, as we investigated, we came to know that the claim was misleading. The footage of the vandalized mosque is from Tripura. Here’s the fact check.
Fact Check
We started our investigation by taking some screenshots from the viral video and conducting a reverse image search. This led us to an Instagram post on 9 October 2024. The post contained a slightly longer version of the viral video. According to the caption, the video is from Kadamtala Tripura, where a pre-planned attack took place on the Kadamtala Bazar Mosque. Religious books, along with the holy Quran, were burnt in the attack.
Taking this clue, conducting a relevant keyword search, we found a report published in the Siasat Daily on 10 October 2024. The report read, “Anti-Muslim violence occurred in Tripura’s Kadamtala area on the weekend and led to the death of one Muslim man, and others being hospitalized with critical injuries. The unrest began on Sunday, October 7, when a dispute over contributions for the ongoing Hindu festival Durga Puja escalated into violent clashes between two communities. According to the reports, the deceased, identified as Alfesani, was shot dead in the head when police tried to control the violent mob through baton charges and aerial firing. The situation quickly deteriorated, leading to vandalism and arson. Several Muslim-owned shops were looted and burnt, and a mosque was also attacked, where the agitated Hindu mob torched some holy books.
The communal clashes were reportedly instigated when a Hindu club pressured Muslims in the locality to make a financial donation for the Durga Puja celebration, which they declined to contribute. This precipitated an altercation that involved people from both parties where violence ensued and Muslims retaliated by attacking Hindu residences with stones. The violence was exacerbated further when some organisations complained of coercive collections for Durga Puja funds, which heightened tensions in the already sensitive communal landscape of the region…”
Further, we found video reports uploaded in Bangla language on the Facebook pages of two local media outlets of Tripura, Gomati Express and Sbharat Live. According to the captions, more than 10 people have been arrested so far in a series of incidents in Kadamtala. Moreover, the miscreants who vandalized the mosque’s properties had been identified.
Sambhal Police refuted the claim on their official X handle. The tweet read, “यह वीडियो जनपद सम्भल की जामा मस्जिद से सम्बन्धित न होकर कदमतला, त्रिपुरा की घटना से सम्बन्धित है। कृपया उक्त वीडियो को जनपद सम्भल का बताकर भ्रामक पोस्ट न करें, अन्यथा आपके विरूद्ध विधिक कार्यवाही सुनिश्चित की जायेगी।
#UPPFactCheck
#UPPolice (This video is not related to Jama Masjid of Sambhal district but is related to the incident of Kadamtala, Tripura. Please do not post misleadingly by claiming that the above video is of Sambhal district, otherwise legal action will be taken against you.
#UPPFactCheck
#UPPolice)
This makes it clear that the video showing vandalized properties in a mosque is not related to the Sambhal Jama Masjid.
Conclusion
From our investigation, we can say that the claim is misleading. The video showing vandalized properties in a mosque is not from the Sambhal Jama Masjid. The video is from Kadamtala Bazar Masjid, Tripura where violence broke out on 7 October.
Title:Video From Tripura Kadamtala Mosque Going Viral As Sambhal Jama Masjid.
Written By: Debanjana baishyaResult: Misleading
