Ahead of the November 30 Telangana Assembly polls, a video claiming to show a communal clash in Karnataka has been circulating widely on social media. The footage depicts a heated argument, followed by a mob attacking individuals dressed in saffron attire. The accompanying text in Telugu suggests that this incident portrays Muslim aggression against a Hindu gathering in Congress-ruled Karnataka.
However, a fact-check by India Today has revealed that the video is not related to Karnataka but rather from Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district. The altercation captured in the footage actually involves a land dispute between Hindus and Muslims in Guha village, Ahmednagar.
To validate their findings, India Today conducted a keyword search in Marathi and discovered a report in News18 Lokmat, published on November 13, 2023. The report featured snippets of the viral video, along with additional footage captured from different angles. It confirmed that the incident took place at Kanifnath Mandir in Guha village, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.
Furthermore, a screenshot from the viral video was included in a report by Dainik Bhaskar’s Divya Marathi. This report explained that the clash was centered around disputed land on which the Kanifnath temple and a dargah are situated in close proximity. Both Hindus and Muslims have laid claim to this land, and the matter is awaiting resolution in a local court.
On Somvati Amavasya, a group of Hindus reportedly entered Kanifnath Devasthan to carry out religious rituals. However, their use of loudspeakers during these rituals sparked objections from Muslims in the area, leading to the clash.
In response to the incident, Srirampur sub-divisional police officer Basavaraj Shivpuje and Rahuri police inspector Dhananjay Jadhav swiftly arrived at the scene with a large police contingent. Ahmednagar superintendent of police, Rakesh Ola, confirmed that the clash was indeed a result of the ongoing land dispute. Basavaraj Shivpuje added that an FIR had been registered against 124 individuals involved, and four people sustained injuries during the altercation.
It is clear from these findings that the video in question does not depict a communal clash in Karnataka but rather a dispute over land in Maharashtra. Misinformation circulating on social media falsely attributed the incident to Karnataka, heightening tensions and promoting inaccuracies. Fact-checking plays a crucial role in countering misinformation and ensuring the dissemination of accurate and verified news.
