Old Video From Delhi’s Ashok Nagar Is Going Viral As A Mosque In Nepal Being Vandalised Recently.

Recently, a video of people vandalising a mosque went viral on social media. Sharing the video, users claimed that it shows the recent communal tensions in Nepal’s Terai region.

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However, upon investigation, we found that the claim was false. The viral video is old and unrelated to Nepal. Here’s the fact check.

Fact Check 

We started our investigation by taking screenshots from the viral video and conducting a reverse image search. This led us to a report published in “Scroll” on February 25, 2020, that contained an image similar to the screenshots from the viral video.

The report read, “A mosque was set on fire in Ashok Nagar locality of North East Delhi on Tuesday afternoon, as clashes over the Citizenship Amendment Act continued for the third straight day, The Wire reported. A mob shouting “Jai Shri Ram” and “Hinduon ka Hindustan [A Hindustan for Hindus]” paraded around the burning mosque, and a “Hanuman flag” was placed on top of the building, according to the news website.

Miscreants also looted shops within and around the mosque’s compound. Residents told The Wire that the people looting the shops were not from the locality. Police personnel could not be seen in the locality. Residents alleged that police had removed members of the Muslim community from the locality. In North East Delhi, at least 10 people have been killed and over 150 injured since Monday afternoon. Supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act had first clashed with those protesting against it on Sunday evening. This came soon after Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra threatened police and asked them to disperse an anti-Citizenship Act sit-in in Jaffrabad area within three days. On Monday, more clashes took place in various localities…”

Taking this clue, we conducted a relevant keyword search. This led us to a report on the official YouTube channel of The Telegraph on March 1, 2020, that contained the viral video. 

The description of the video read, “Protests against Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party’s latest law have caused death and destruction in New Delhi. 

The Badi Mosque in New Delhi’s northeasterly Ashok Nagar was set alight by vandals who then mounted flags atop its minaret. The Indian tricolour and saffron coloured flag depicting the Hindu god Hanuman could still be seen the next day, as verified by Bhoom Live. 

Violence has been triggered by the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which discriminates against Muslim asylum seekers. Police have been accused of turning a blind eye as Hindu mobs target Muslims.”

Other reports can be read here and here.

This makes it clear that the viral video shows an old incident from Delhi’s Ashok Nagar.

Conclusion 

From our investigation, we can say that the claim is false. The viral video doesn’t show a mosque in Nepal being vandalised amid the recent communal tensions. This is an old video from Delhi’s Ashok Nagar.