Video of Man Thrashed for ‘Molestation’ in Gujarat Shared With a Communal Spin

The DCP of Kagadapith police station dismissed communal claims and said that the accused was not Muslim.

The accused has been arrested under POCSO and IPC Section 354 by Ahemdabad police for sexually assaulting a minor. 

(Source: Altered by The Quint)

A viral video showing a man being thrashed with belts by two girls is going viral on social media as an incident from Gujarat.

What are the users saying?: The users have claimed that a Muslim man tried to sexually assault a schoolgirl who belonged to the Hindu community.

• It goes on to state that the man was later beaten up by the crowd after getting caught.

(Note: The videos in the links below may be distressing to some. Viewer’s discretion is advised.)

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: Twitter/Screenshot)

(Archives of similar claims can be found here, here and here.)

What is the truth?: The viral video is being shared with a false communal angle.

• We found that the video is from 24 June and from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

• The man seen in the video was identified as one Vijay Sarkate, who was thrashed publicly for allegedly stalking and trying to sexually assault a minor.

• He was later arrested by Kagadapith police.

How did we find out?: At first, we closely examined the video. Upon zooming in on the number plate of the two-wheeler seen in the video, we found the state code of Gujarat.

• Next, with a relevant keyword search, we came across news articles from Free Press Journal and The Times of India, which had similar images as the viral video.

• According to the reports, the incident took place on the morning of 22 June when a 17-year-old girl was going to school.

• The reports stated that the 17-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by Vijay Sarkate, who is 19.

• The report also added that the girl had described the incident to her mother, following which the minor and her elder sister publicly thrashed Sarkate on 23 June.

This is the comparison between the news articles and viral video.

(Source: Twitter/Free Press Journal/Screenshot)

What did the police say?: The Quint reached out to Muniya Ashok, the District Commissioner of Police of Zone 6, under which the Kagdapith Police Station functions, who dismissed the communal claims.

• He said that the accused, Vijay Sarkate, was beaten up in public for sexually assaulting a minor and did not belong to the Muslim community.

• He adds, "Sarkate has been arrested under POCSO and Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 354, which stands for any criminal force or assault intended to outrage a woman's modesty."

• Ashok also stated that the incident took place near Ahmedabad's central bus station.

First Information Report: We also accessed a copy of the FIR filed in the case with the help of Alt News, who first fact-checked the claim.

• The FIR was filed by the minor's mother on 23 June against Vijay Natwarlal, mentioning that the accused had been harassing her minor daughter by giving her gifts and trying to kiss her.

• The FIR stated that the accused has been charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Indian Penal Code Sections 354A and 354D.

Conclusion: The viral video is being shared with a false communal spin. The police and news report confirm the accused's identity, who has now been arrested for the misconduct.

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