On 17th December (Sunday), several usual X (Twitter) handles shared malicious claims that some Kashmiri dry fruit vendors were harassed and assaulted by the Municipal authority and Police at the Gomti Nagar bridge in Lucknow. The X users circulated the visuals from the Gomti bridge with misleading claims that the authority scattered their goods and assaulted the vendors. However, they were immediately fact-checked by the Lucknow Police.
Spinning Police action as oppression of the poor, Asif Khan tweeted, “Poor Kashmiri dry fruit vendors were harassed by Lucknow Municipality team. Why are they targeting these poor people?”
Poor Kashmiri dry fruit vendors were harassed by Lucknow Municipality team.
— Md Asif Khan (@imMAK02) December 17, 2023
Why are they targeting these poor people? pic.twitter.com/7hqIUeA7MN
‘Face checker’ Md Zubair also chose to create misinformation by sharing incomplete information.
Kashmiri vendor slapped by @Uppolice https://t.co/duxsXus7iS
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 17, 2023
While one X (Twitter) user used the incident to rant about Article 370, others claimed that the incident highlighted hatred towards the people of Kashmir.
pic.twitter.com/Ga8x5pt2ug
— alphabetagama (@alphabetagama20) December 17, 2023
In Lucknow Kashmiri street vendors are getting thrashed for no reasons. People celebrating 370 removal and they still can't accept kashmiri as Indian.#Lucknow
Kashmiri Vendors slapped in Lucknow UP by MC employees who overturned their carts. The workers were rounded up & bundled in a UP police van. I request @CMOfficeUP for intervention & immediate cessation of mistreatment towards these Kashmiri laborers. @MehboobaMufti @OmarAbdullah pic.twitter.com/oGA78MYtEW
— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) December 17, 2023
In #UttarPradesh's #Lucknow, a #Kashmiri vendor was slapped while sellers were being rounded up and bundled in a #UPPolice van after action by the local municipal corporation. pic.twitter.com/BylCh9Z66w
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) December 17, 2023
You all should listen to the pain of our people of Kashmir.
— Mohd Uzair Khan (@IMMDUK) December 17, 2023
The employees of Lucknow Municipal Corporation threw the dry fruits of Kashmiris selling dry fruits on the roadside and treated them very badly.
After all, why so much hatred towards the people of Kashmir? pic.twitter.com/sizV37uOnB
Clearing the air, Lucknow Police took to their official X (Twitter) handle and noted that the authorities took routine action during an anti-encroachment drive as the bridge is also a sensitive route for VIP movement.
थाना गोमतीनगर क्षेत्रान्तर्गत गोमती पुल पर नगर निगम टीम द्वारा अतिक्रमण हटाने के सम्बन्ध में @east_dcp द्वारा दी गई बाईट।@Uppolice pic.twitter.com/Qy3nxScsdC
— LUCKNOW POLICE (@lkopolice) December 17, 2023
Sharing the details about the anti-encroachment drive, East DCP Lucknow said, “The Gomti bridge connecting 1090 Chauraha and Samata Mulak Chauraha which is also a VIP route is often prone to encroachment. VIP movement traverses through this route because of which the Municipal corporation and police regularly carry out anti-encroachment drives.”
Misleading. @zoo_bear won't share that
— The Hawk Eye (@thehawkeyex) December 17, 2023
– vendors were asked to vacate no-vending zone several times before. There was a VIP movement also.
– they threw own stuff on the road
– they hv been given 200+ vending zone list
Since Kashmiri + UP (BJP state) makes good script, a 10sec… https://t.co/Fc1wumF2Q3 pic.twitter.com/XBIWCLFjlt
The corporation has notified vending zones and this route is sensitive because VIP movement takes place from here. Resultantly, this is not a vending zone, prompting the authorities to regularly undertake anti-encroachment drives.
1442
— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) December 17, 2023
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: Visuals being circulated from Lucknow with misleading claims that Kashmiris were selling dry fruits on the roadside. The Municipal Corporation team arrived, and they scattered all the goods on the ground, and the police beat them. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/XWEPmxM34J
The official added that the police had learned that for the last few days, some vendors had been selling dry fruits. He added that the corporation had taken action previously, and the police had communicated with the vendors.
East DCP Lucknow mentioned that today (17th December), the convoy of UP CM Yogi Adityanath also passed through this route. He added that today the dry fruit vendors showed indecency with the anti-encroachment team. Subsequently, when the police came to learn about the incident, they used the necessary force and brought the youths to the police station. They have been informed that this is a VIP route adding that they should cooperate with the anti-encroachment drives in the future as well.
It is also notable that while the X users claimed police threw away the dry fruits being sold by the street vendors, others have said that the vendors themselves dropped the products on the streets after police asked them to vacate the place.
Therefore, the police removed the street vendors not because of their identities as Kashmiris, but only because they were vending at an unauthorised place.
