During the month of Sawan, Kanwariyas seem to bother left-wingers the most. Consequently, continuous efforts are made during this period to tarnish their image in every possible way. A recent attempt was made regarding an incident in Meerut, where a video went viral on social media, spreading rumours that Kanwariyas had assaulted police personnel. However, when the police issued an official statement on the matter, the truth turned out to be completely different.
What Was in the Video?
In the viral video on social media, a few Kanwariyas can be seen standing outside a jeep, repeatedly shouting phrases like “Pull him out, get him out!” They had surrounded the police jeep, continuously trying to drag someone out of the vehicle. Several left-leaning individuals and extremists shared this video from their social media handles to build a specific narrative.
Accusations Against Kanwariyas for Beating Police Officers
Consider the tweet by ‘Muslim Voice Cell’. Targeting the Kanwariyas, the tweet read: “Look at the state of law and order in UP. In Meerut’s Daurala, after a collision with a motorcyclist, plainclothes police officers who reached the spot were dragged out of the jeep and beaten up by Kanwariyas.”
Journalist Piyush Rai also shared the video with a similar claim, which was subsequently reposted by fact-checker Mohammed Zubair.
Sachin Gupta similarly claimed in his tweet that after a motorcyclist hit the Kanwariyas, the police arrived at the scene. However, the Kanwariyas started beating up the police officers while the motorcyclist who caused the accident fled.
Zakir Tyagi similarly spread the news, claiming that the Kanwariyas beat the police so mercilessly that the officers had to run to save their lives.
Police Statement
Meerut Police has now issued an official statement regarding this incident. They stated that the video circulating on social media with claims that Kanwariyas assaulted police officers and tore their uniforms is completely false.
According to the police, the investigation revealed that on the night of August 3, two groups of Kanwariyas came face-to-face. A person named Sonu, along with his companion Guddu, was heading to Haridwar in a vehicle when they got into a collision and a subsequent brawl with another group of Kanwariyas coming from the opposite direction.
In response, the Daurala police station team arrived at the spot and tactfully tried to intervene and stop both parties. During this process, Sonu and Guddu were seated inside the police vehicle. It was at this moment that the opposing group became aggressive and attempted to pull these two individuals out of the vehicle. A senior police officer clarified that following the incident, both parties were taken for medical examinations, and further legal action is currently underway.
Misleading Media Coverage
It is worth noting that this entire incident was misrepresented not just on social media, but in mainstream media as well. Without verifying the facts with the police first, it was initially reported that Kanwariyas had beaten up police officers. Although news outlets later updated their reports after the police issued a statement, channels like TV9 Bharatvarsh initially broadcast the news with headlines explicitly stating that “2 police personnel were beaten up.”
