FACT CHECK: I did some research on how the viral claim originated that one…

FACT CHECK:

I did some research on how the viral claim originated that one Govind attacked his neighbour Sarfaraz in Shamli in revenge for Kashmir Hindu massacre, allegedly saying he would kill 26 Muslims for 26 Hindus.

Shamli police in Muzaffarnagar have refuted this claim, stating Sarfaraz molested his sister and thus Govind attacked him.

1. I found that the rumour of ‘will kill 26’ originally stemmed from an online report by Amar Ujala, written by reporter Mohd Mustakin.

2. This report was modified within just one minute of publication and reference to “26 people” was quietly removed

3. Even in the original version, no one was actually quoted as making the “will kill 26 people” remark. It was just there in the headline. Most probably, it originated in the imagination of the reporter, Mustakin, without any direct attribution.

4. By then, the unsubstantiated claim had gone viral on social media with influencers amplifying it

5. The report published in print edition of Amar Ujala today also makes no mention of “26 people” and cites molestation as trigger

@muzafarnagarpol, @PoliceShamli, @UPPViralCheck please take note.