A distressing video showing one woman being pushed to the ground and struck with a stick while speaking on live TV about an attack on her is widely shared on social media, linking it to recent protests in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal.
In Sandeshkhali, several women have accused Trinamool Congress leaders — Shibu Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar — of sexual exploitation and brutality. A National Commission for Women (NCW) report has highlighted these allegations, revealing widespread fear and abuse. However, on February 14, 2024, the West Bengal police stated that they had not received any rape allegations in connection with the incident.
The video is shared on Facebook with a caption: “A woman trying to speak out to media about #Sandeshkhali is attacked on live camera. Just imagine, what all must have happened and must be happening in reality in #Sandeshkhali #west Bengal”
Here’s the link to the above post.
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the above claim, and found it to be MISLEADING.
Performing a Reverse Image Search of the video keyframes, the NM team identified a Twitter handle carrying the same clipm dated September 29, 2018, with a caption: “This is the same lady Nilima De Sarkar who was “kicked” by TMC leader Arshadujjaman. Look how his accomplice Qutubuddin is thrashing her openly when she is relaying the incident to the media! @BJP4Bengal @me_locket @VijayaRahatkar @MrsGandhi”.
Searching further, we found an NDTV news report, dated September 30, 2018, covering the same incident with a headline: “Caught On Camera: Trinamool Leaders’ Attacks On Woman BJP Supporter”. The detailed description reads: “The cameras had already been rolling when the appalling violence unfolded — not once but twice. A woman BJP supporter is kicked and thrown to the ground by TMC activists during a protest rally — first in the presence of cops and then in front of a TV news crew”.
According to a Hindustan Times article, dated October 1, 2018, a 48-year-old woman, named Nilima Dey Sarkar, was kicked and thrown to the ground twice within 15 minutes on September 26. The incident occurred at the Barasat rail crossing during a Bengal bandh organised by the BJP to protest alleged police firing in West Bengal’s Islampur, which had occurred a week earlier.
Thus, it is evident from the above information that the viral video is from 2018, NOT recent.
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