Video of Man Beaten for Molesting Girl Not Related to ‘Love Jihad’

In the video, the woman’s cheek and neck can be seen bleeding and the mob beating up the alleged perpetrator.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

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CLAIM

A video of a mob thrashing an alleged perpetrator who knifed a woman is being circulated on social media with the claim that the man was trying to seduce the woman in a case of ‘love jihad’.

“A Muslim boy trapped a Hindu girl in #LoveJihad and was going to murder her in the garb of taking her out. But as realisation dawned upon the girl, she started screaming, thereby alerting the passersby who caught hold of the boy and beat him mercilessly. Hindu girls, beware of #LoveJihad, otherwise you can be a victim of such a circumstance too,” the post read.

In the video, the woman's cheek and neck can be seen bleeding, while the mob is seen beating up the alleged perpetrator.

Screen grab of the post.(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/ @VaishaliHindu)

An archived version of the post can be seen here.

Screen grab of the post.(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@Being_Vinita) 

An archived version of the post can be accessed here.

A version of the video was also being shared on Twitter and Facebook with a different message, which also indicated that there was a communal angle to the incident.

(Photo: Screenshot/Facebook)

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

The video actually shows a mob beating up a man for allegedly attacking his woman friend, in Jharkhand’s Pithoria. There was no ‘love jihad’ angle to the incident, unlike the claims on social media.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

The Quint contacted the SSP of Ranchi (Rural). He clarified that the case is not related to ‘love jihad’ and also provided the press release regarding the case.

According to this press release, the accused, who is named as Arvind Kumar, and the woman are from Latehar district. The woman presently studies in Ranchi. On 15 September, the accused asked the woman to visit Patratu valley with him. While they were returning to Ranchi on Kumar’s motorcycle, they made a stop so that the woman could go relieve herself.

As per the press release, Kumar allegedly molested the victim. When the victim resisted, Kumar attacked her and slashed her face and neck with a knife.

The locals who were in the area spotted the victim and took her to the Pithori police station, from where she was later taken to the local hospital.

It is clear from the press release that both the victim and the accused hailed from the same community and that there was no ‘love jihad’ or communal angle to the incident. The video is, thus, being shared with a false claim.

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