DigitEye India Fact Checkers
A video showing a man thrashing a police officer in uniform is going viral on all news outlets and social media with a claim that the man was a DMK leader. the caption says: “DMK MLA Mansoor Mohammed beats up a police inspector on duty in Tamil Nadu. This is what happens when you choose a government based on castes, creed and language. Tamilnadu is on the path of West Bengal.”
DMK MLA Mansoor Mohammed beats up a police inspector on duty in Tamil Nadu. This is what happens when you choose a government based on castes, creed and language. Tamilnadu is on the path of West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/BCATgw8Y6w
— Rishav Singh (@aa_rishav) February 16, 2024
It was shown on major TV news outlets in all languages including Telugu.
Fact Check
When we checked for the Tamil Nadu MLA (DMK) by the name Mansoor Mohammed, we could not find anybody by that name. Then, we took key frames from the video and checked them on Google Reverse Image Search to find the original video. Finally, we came across an old news video by ANI that was shared on Twitter:
#WATCH: BJP Councillor Manish thrashes a Sub-Inspector who came to his (Manish’s) hotel with a lady lawyer and got into an argument with a waiter. The councillor has been arrested. (19.10.18) (Note- Strong Language) pic.twitter.com/aouSxyztSa
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 20, 2018
Later, the updated report corrected the name of the BJP councillor as Munish Kumar and that a case was registered against him:
Case has been registered against Munish Kumar, BJP councillor from Meerut’s ward no. 40, under section 395 (punishment for dacoity) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of Indian Penal Code. https://t.co/5e4TzDczkH
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 20, 2018
Further search revealed that the incident was widely reported as can be seen from the Google Search Results below:
The report in Deccan Chronicle, dated October 20, 2018, stated, “A sub-inspector, accompanying a female lawyer friend to a restaurant, was thrashed by its owner Munish Kumar, who is also a BJP councillor from Meerut’s ward No. 40, following an altercation over delay in serving food.”
Hence, the incident occurred on October 20, 2018, in Kankarkheda of Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh and not from Tamil Nadu, nor is it related to DMK party’s MLA as claimed.
Claim: Video showing DMK leader thrashing a police officer in uniform, indicating hopeless situation in Tamil Nadu.
Conclusion: False. An old 2018 video of Meerut BJP councillor Munish Kumar was passed off as a DMK leader from Tamil Nadu.
Rating: Totally False — 
