On April 10, four people were killed in clashes between locals and CISF staff in Sitalkuchi in the Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. The CISF claims that the mob tried to snatch their weapons and force them to open fire. The incident took place on a day that the fourth phase of the state election was underway.
As the debt dispute between the Trinamool Congress and BJP continues over the Sitalkuchi violence, a video circulates on social media claiming it shows Mamata Banerjee supporters storming a ballot box in Cooch Behar. The video shows a group of people trying to rob a polling station and security personnel push them away. Shots can also be heard.
The caption to the video reads: “Mamata Banerjee supporters storm a polling station in Coochbihar, West Bengal. EXCELLENT work done by the CRPF to push the goons #WestBengalPolls away ”.
Mamata Banerjee’s supporters storm a polling station in Coochbihar, West Bengal.
EXCELLENT work done by the CRPF to push the claws away …# WestBengalPolls pic.twitter.com/HMXhgANZJp
– Krishna ® (@FuriousKrishna) 13 April 2021
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) found the allegation along with the video to be misleading. The incident took place during the Lok Sabha election in Kiyamgei High Madrassa in the Imphal East district of Manipur.
The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here, here and here.
AFWA investigation
Using the InVID tool, we found that the viral video is from 2019 and not related to Bengal.
The same video was recorded in a 2019 report by NDTV. According to the report, violence erupted during the 2019 general election at the Kiyamgei High Madrassa polling station in the Imphal East district of Manipur.
The incident was also reported by First post, The New Indian Express and Imphal Times.
According to these reports, on April 18, 2019, a large number of voters looted the polling station over the alleged misconduct of the presiding officer. Following this, security personnel deployed at the polling station fired tear gas and used the charge to disperse the crowd.
While the presiding officer, micro-observer and at least four civilians were injured in the incident, no lives were lost. On the other hand, on April 10, 2021, four people were killed in the Sitalkuchi violence. A video report from India Today showing the moments before the shooting can be seen below.
It is therefore clear that the video in question is two years old and not related to the Cooch Behar incident.
ClaimVideo shows Mamata Banerjee supporters storming a polling station in the Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. ClosureThe incident took place during the Lok Sabha election in Kiyamgei High Madrassa in the Imphal East district of Manipur. The vote was disrupted after voters became violent over alleged misconduct by the presiding officer.
JHOOTH BOLE KAUVA KAATE
The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie.
- 1 Crow: Half true
- 2 crows: mostly lies
- 3 crows: absolutely false
