A widely circulating video on social media shows several Muslim community members and policemen gathered in a jungle in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli. The video is claimed to depict the crime scene where a Maulana was found beheaded. Social media users are suggesting a communal angle behind the crime, noting that it occurred after the BJP failed to secure a victory in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
One such post was shared with a caption: Lynchings of Muslims don’t even make headlines in India.
Similar claims can be seen here and here. (Archive link)
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile found the claim to be misleading.
With relevant keywords, the NM team identified few reports published in Press Trust of India (PTI), The Siasat Daily, and The Print, dated June 11, 2024.
According to the PTI report, the beheaded body found in the jungle was a 58-year-old Imam, allegedly hacked to death by his mentally challenged son in Mannamajra village, under the Jhinjhana police station in Shamli district, on June 11. The Superintendent of Police, Abhishek, identified the deceased as Fazlur Rehman, 58, and his son (in his early 20s) as Junaid.
The Shamli police have stated on X that Jhinjhana police successfully solved the murder of an old man in the jungle of Ballamajara village in a short span of six hours and arrested one accused involved in the murder. The murder weapon, shovel and mobile were recovered from his possession.
थाना झिंझाना क्षेत्रान्तर्गत ग्राम बल्ला माजरा में शव मिलने की घटना के सम्बन्ध में पुलिस अधीक्षक शामली की बाइट ।@Uppolice @adgzonemeerut @digsaharanpur @112UttarPradesh pic.twitter.com/1V9Kfz06uL
— Shamli police (@PoliceShamli) June 11, 2024
थाना झिंझाना पुलिस द्वारा थाना क्षेत्रान्तर्गत ग्राम बल्लामाजरा के जंगल में हुई वृद्ध व्यक्ति की हत्या की घटना का 06 घण्टे की अल्प समयवधि में सफल अनावरण करते हुए घटना में लिप्त 01 हत्याभियुक्त को किया गिरफ्तार, कब्जे से आलाकत्ल फावड़ा व मोबाइल बरामद । @Uppolice @adgzonemeerut pic.twitter.com/n83mqJc4Mq
— Shamli police (@PoliceShamli) June 11, 2024
Hence, it is evident that the Shamli Maulana murder case was falsely given a communal angle; the Maulana was killed by his son Junaid.
