Self-proclaimed journalist Meer Faisal, whose earlier X account was withheld in India, presumably for peddling fake news, recently posted a tweet claiming that authorities demolished a 180-year-old mosque in UP’s Fatehpur over encroachment.
“Local authorities in Uttar Pradeshhave initiated the demolition of the180-year-old Fatehpur Noori Masjid.citing it as an encroachment. Officialsstated that the area will be clearedusing bulldozers. The mosque,constructed in 1839, predates the road it is now accused of encroachingupon,” Faisal tweeted.
While Faisal claims that authorities were demolishing the 180-year-old mosque, the encroachment drive was strictly restricted to the rear portion of the mosque and the PWD department had sent a notice to the mosque granting them one month’s time to remove encroachments.
According to a report published in Indian Express, in August, the Public Works Department (PWD) had issued notices to 139 individuals, including shopkeepers, homeowners, and the mosque committee, instructing them to remove structures encroaching on the road. The structures demolished on Tuesday was built 3 years ago and encroaching upon the Banda-Fatehpur Road in the city.
It is notable to mention that this is not the first instance when Faisal was caught spreading disinformation. Earlier this year, Faisal published two posts on X with misleading information claiming Muslims were attacked by Hindus in Aligarh (Uttar Pradesh) and Nahan (Himachal Pradesh).
The information was factually misleading and lacked one important aspect the deceased, identified as Aurangzeb, allegedly entered the house of a Hindu family with the intention of theft. He was caught by the Hindu family members during the act. The Hindu family members and other locals beat Aurangzeb up before handing over to the police. He succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead at the hospital.
In a statement issued by Aligarh police, SSP Aligarh, Sanjay Suman, said that the police got information about a thief caught by locals in the Gandhi Park Police Station area. The police reached the spot immediately. It was revealed that a Muslim man entered the house of a Hindu family with the intention of theft. The family members and some locals caught him and beat him up. The police rushed him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead.
