A video of a massive crowd is being shared on social media, where users are linking it to the recent stampede at a godman's event in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, which claimed over 150 lives.
The video: The video shows a large crowd gathered in an open area, with people running behind vehicles in a narrow lane.
The clip was shared by DW News and was also a part of News18 India's coverage of the tragedy.
DW News used the clip in its video on the Hathras stampede.
(Source: Threads/Screenshot)
How did we find out the truth?: Using InVID, a video verification tool, we divided the video into multiple keyframes and conducted a reverse image search on them.
One of the results on Google led us to a YouTube channel called 'Traveller Sachin', which had shared a longer version of the video from a different angle.
The video, titled 'Mangal Divas Rupwas Bharatpur Rajasthan | Narayan Sakar Hari Ke Bhajan | Sataya Ka Sath Rajasthan' was uploaded on 9 February, 2024.
The video was uploaded four months before the stampede in Hathras.
(Source: YouTube/Altered by The Quint)
This is months before the Satsang in Hathras, which was held on 2 July.
We noticed that the part of this video which was used in the viral claim began at the 6:59-minutes mark, and noticed similarities in both videos.
One can see the man in the red shirt, as well as the crowd on the top left side.
(Source; YouTube/Altered by The Quint)
The pillar and the arch match in both visuals.
(Source; YouTube/Altered by The Quint)
The YouTube channel had also shared a short video from the event in Bharatpur, which gave us some clues towards the location of the event.
We saw a bus stop marked 'Rupwas' and a signboard with 'NH123' on it.
(Source; YouTube/Altered by The Quint)
Using Google Maps, we were able to verify that the viral video was taken off National Highway 123, near the Rupwas bus stop.
The place is in Bharatpur, off NH 123.
(Source: Google Maps/Altered by The Quint)
Conclusion: An old video of a large crowd is being falsely linked to the recent stampede in Hathras.
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)