Dumka in Jharkhand witnessed one of the most brutal murders recently when accused Shahrukh Hussain burnt Ankita alive because she refused her advances. Shahrukh poured petrol on Ankita through an open window while she was asleep and then set fire to her, resulting in her death later in the hospital.
While people across the country are shocked by the heinous crime and are demanding the strictest possible punishment for Shahrukh, the India Today group seems to be more concerned about protecting Shahrukh’s identity. Following his arrest, Shahrukh was seen shamelessly smiling in police custody without any remorse on his face. While reporting on that incident, the media group decided to change the accused’s name from Shahrukh to Abhishek.
The name Abhishek was repeatedly used in the report, and it was nowhere even mentioned that they have changed the name for whatever their reasons might be. The archived link of the report can be accessed here- https://web.archive.org/web/20220829093012/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/man-set-girl-on-fire-jharkhand-dumka-seen-smiling-police-custody-1993882-2022-08-29
However, people online soon noticed this change of the accused’s name from Shahrukh to Abhishek and questioned India Today’s motivations to do the same.
The name of the accused who set Ankita Singh on fire is Shahrukh. But, @IndiaToday, decided to be ‘Secular’ and changed his name to Abhishek.@aroonpurie @rahulkanwal @gauravcsawant @ShivAroor pic.twitter.com/yFq6KJq8wH
— Suresh Kochattil (@kochattil) August 29, 2022
India today changed the name of accused in Jharkhand case. His real name is Shahrukh and India today print the name Abhishek. Shame on you India Today. pic.twitter.com/7ky0xF5wK8
— Gareeboo (@GareeboOP) August 29, 2022
With several people pointing it out online, the media house finally decided to change its report, and use the correct name of the accused.
No explanation or justification was provided by themafter updating the report.
