Title: Fact Check: Majority of Bengal Panchayat Poll Violence Victims Were Muslims, Disproving Claim of Only Hindu Casualties
In the recently concluded Panchayat elections in West Bengal, the victorious Trinamool Congress saw the state’s law and order situation come under scrutiny due to incidents of violence and loss of lives. Amidst this backdrop, a video circulated on social media claiming that only Hindus were killed during the polls. However, an investigation by India Today revealed that the majority of the casualties were Muslims, dispelling the notion of religious bias.
The viral video featured a man brandishing a pistol, while others were seen hurling stones. The accompanying text in Hindi claimed that 16 people, all of whom were Hindus, lost their lives on the first day of the Panchayat elections in West Bengal. Upon examining the facts, India Today found that out of the 18 deaths reported in the state during the polls, the majority were Muslims.
Through a reverse search of keyframes from the video, India Today traced it back to an AajTak report published on July 8, which highlighted the clip’s frame showing the man with the pistol. The report stated that a total of 18 people had been killed within 24 hours of the polling day.
Further investigation led to an Economic Times report from the same day, which listed the names of some individuals who had died during the voting process. Among these names were several Muslims, such as Babar Ali, Sabiruddin Sheikh, Malek Sheikh, and Saidul Sheikh.
To obtain the complete list of casualties, India Today referred to The Telegraph’s e-paper dated July 9. The comprehensive list contained 18 names, of which 12 were Muslims. The Muslim victims included Md Shahenshah, Sheikh Malek, Md Jameruddin, Babar Ali, Sabiruddin Sheikh, Raushan Ali, Liyakat Sheikh, Yasin Sheikh, Rajibul Haque, Hamzar Ali Halsana, Anisur Ostagar, and Shamsul Haq. The remaining six victims were Hindus.
The Telegraph report revealed that five of the deceased Muslims hailed from Murshidabad district. India Today reached out to the Murshidabad police and obtained copies of the First Information Reports (FIRs) filed after the deaths. In these FIR copies, dated July 8, the name of Liyakat Sheikh from Murshidabad’s Nawada was mentioned as Haji Niyakat Sheikh, while Sabiruddin Sheikh from Khargram was referred to as Sattaruddin Sheikh. Subsequently, India Today verified with the Nawada and Khargram police stations, who confirmed that these names indeed belonged to the same individuals.
Additionally, India Today also reached out to the police in Nadia and North Dinajpur districts, who attested to the fact that Muslim individuals had lost their lives during the violent incidents on polling day.
In conclusion, a thorough investigation has proven beyond any doubt that the claim of only Hindus being killed during the West Bengal Panchayat polls violence is false. The death toll comprised a majority of Muslims, highlighting the need for accurate reporting and dispelling communal narratives.
(With inputs from Gopal Thakur, Murshidabad)
