On 4 January, an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) of Delhi Police, Shambu Dayal, was stabbed multiple times in his chest in the Mayapuri area while trying to arrest an individual accused of snatching a woman's phone. The incident was later given a communal angle and shared on social media.
Who made the claim?: Several media outlets such as Times Now Navbharat, ABP News, TV9 Bharatvarsh, and News Track, reported on the incident identifying the accused as one Mohammad Anish.
Aaj Tak and Zee News in their bulletins referred to the accused with the same name.
(Swipe right to view all the claims.)
Sagar Kumar of Sudarshan News, an outlet that has been repeatedly called out for spreading misinformation, also shared the same claim on Twitter (archive here).
The truth: The entire incident is being given a false communal angle. The accused has been identified as one Anish Raj, who has been arrested.
Delhi Police has clarified on Twitter that the incident has no communal angle to it. They further said that some social media handles are sharing these false claims.
We accessed the First Information Report (FIR) and found that the accused has been arrested under Sections 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (causing voluntary hurt to public servant), 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 27, 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act.
How did we find out?: We accessed the copy of the FIR registered in the Mayapuri Police Station on 4 January.
It mentioned that a woman approached Dayal for help after a man allegedly snatched her husband's phone and later threatened them at knifepoint in Delhi's Mayapuri area.
Dayal went alone with the woman to locate the accused and soon arrested him. He was identified as one Anish, son of Prahlad Raj, resident of Mayapuri, Phase-II.
While the ASI was taking the accused to the police station, he pulled out a knife and attacked him multiple times.
It further mentioned that the ASI was taken to Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) Hospital after the attack.
On 8 January, ASI Dayal succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the BLK Hospital. Delhi Police took to Twitter to honour the brave and expressed their heartfelt tribute.
Delhi CM announces assistance: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed his condolences and has announced assistance of Rs 1 crore to Dayal's family.
Conclusion: The person, who attacked Delhi ASI Shambu Dayal, has been misidentified as Mohammad Anish by several media outlets.
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