Photo of Zakir Naik & Disciple Falsely Linked to Sri Lanka Blasts

A post falsely linked a picture of Zakir Naik with his disciple to the Sri Lanka blasts that took place on 21 April.

The Quint
WebQoof
Updated:
A post falsely linked a picture of Zakir Naik with his disciple to the Sri Lanka blasts that took place on 21 April.
i
A post falsely linked a picture of Zakir Naik with his disciple to the Sri Lanka blasts that took place on 21 April.
(Photo: The Quint)

advertisement

Don’t fall for fake news, click here to check out The Quint’s WebQoof stories.

CLAIM

A photo of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and a man has gone viral with claims that he is posing next to a bomber involved in the Easter terror blasts in Sri Lanka.

The photo, tweeted by a user named Chowkidar, The Activist, was circulated with the caption, "#Srilanka’s Suicide bomber with Congress party’s maternal uncle #ZakirNaik"

(Photo: A screenshot fromTwitter)

The post was retweeted over 3,800 times and had over 5,000 likes at the time of writing this story.

Many users on Facebook also shared similar pictures of the two with the same claim.

FACT

The man in the photo has not been reported to be involved in the Sri Lanka blasts.

On further search, The Quint found that the man in the photo is Muhammad Zamri Vinoth Kalimuthu, a known disciple of Naik’s.

Kalimuthu was arrested by Malaysia's Kangar police for allegedly making insulting comments against Hindu gods, Malaysian reports stated.

According to a report by a Malaysian media organisation, Malay Mail, police have received 790 complaints against Vinoth.

Going by the username of ‘Zamri Vinoth', his social media accounts contain several pictures with Zakir Naik.

(Photo: Instagram)
(Photo: Instagram)

Naik is absconding and is currently living in Malaysia. He came under the lens of Indian security agenceis after some terrorists, allegedly involved in the attack on a cafe in Dhaka in 2016, reportedly claimed they were inspired by his speeches.

On 17 November 2016, India declared Naik's Mumbai-based NGO Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9910181818, or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)

(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)

Published: 30 Apr 2019,08:42 PM IST

ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL FOR NEXT