Old Pic From WB Shared as ISKCON Priest Killed in Bangladesh Violence

The photo shared is from a 2016 event in West Bengal, and does not show the devotee who was killed in Naokhali.

A photograph showing a Hindu devotee serving food to Muslims is being shared by social media users, to claim that it shows one Swami Nitai Das Prabhu serving iftar dinner to Muslims during Eid.

The claim goes on to say that the Swami, who was a part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was killed in the violent communal clashes that took place in Noakhali, Bangladesh.

However, we found that the photo is old and doesn’t show either one of the two deceased. It dates back to 2016, when ISKCON members hosted an iftar party for Muslims during Eid, and served them meals all day.

As per ISKCON’s official statement, two people lost their lives in the violence in Bangladesh and one was hospitalised in a "critical condition".

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CLAIM

The photo is being widely shared, claiming that, Swami Nitai Das Prabhu, the person who used to serve Muslims iftar meals for Eid, was killed in Bangladesh’s communal clashes when Muslims attacked the ISKCON temple in Naokhali.

Other claims made with the same photo on Facebook and Twitter can be seen here, here,here and here.

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WHAT WE FOUND

Using reverse image search, we came across the photograph on a website called UCA News, which published the photo in 2016.

This report noted that ISKCON Mayapur in West Bengal had hosted an iftar party in 2016 for Muslims in the area to celebrate Eid.

We also found the photo on a website named ProKerala, which credited the photo to the news agency IANS.

The Quint then reached out to the Director of Communications for ISKCON, Yudhistir Govinda Das, who confirmed to us that the image is indeed from the Iftar event and not that of the deceased in Bangladesh.

"The devotee in the picture is Ivan Antić and he left the country before the pandemic. He lives in Croatia."

Yudhistir Govinda Das, Director of Communications for ISKCON

ISKCON'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE IN BANGLADESH

As per an official statement by ISKCON two "devotees Pranta Chandra Das and Jatan Chandra Saha" died in the violence in Bangladesh which has so far claimed the lives of at least five people and injured nearly 60 others.

Additionally, it said that one Nimai Chandra Das was “hospitalised in a critical condition.”

ISKCON News, which is the society’s news agency, published a report on Partha Das’ (previously spelled as Pranta in the press release) death on 16 October. The report also carried an image of the deceased devotee.

It said that 25-year-old Das’ body was found in a pond by the temple after a 200-people strong mob attacked and vandalised their campus.

Earlier, an old video from Bangladesh was shared to show the brutal murder of Jahan Saha. You can read our fact-check on it here.

Evidently, an old photograph of an ISKCON devotee from Mayapur, West Bengal was shared to claim that it showed one of the deceased from the ISKCON temple that was attacked in Naokhali amid the communal violence in Bangladesh.

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