Fake News Alert: Barhi Killing Viral Video Fake, Jharkhand Police Take Action Against 100 People

Jharkhand police have taken legal action against over 100 people for spreading a "fake video" on social media linking it to the recent killing of a boy in a clash between two communities at Barhi.

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New Delhi:  The viral video which is claimed to be of Jharkhand's Barhi leading to disruption of law and order at some districts in the state and suspension of internet services for three days has been found to be fake. 

Jharkhand police have taken legal action against over 100 people for spreading a "fake video" on social media linking it to the recent killing of a boy in a clash between members of two communities at Barhi in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district, said a police official as mentioned in a PTI report. 

Hazaribag Superintendent of Police, Manoj Ratan Chouthe said that the video was examined carefully and after a probe, it was found that the video was purported. He further said that the video which was doing rounds in social media hours after a youth was killed in a clash in Barhi was made by combining two clips - one from Uttar Pradesh and the other from Paraguay. 

"We have taken legal action against over 100 people for making the video viral on various social media platforms, linking it to the incident at Barhi police station. That video is fake," Chouthe said.

 Hazaribag police also released an official statement that "the video has no connection with the incident in Barhi as it occurred in the evening, while the viral clip shows incidents happening during the day which proves that the video is completely fake and has been made to disturb peace and harmony in Jharkhand. 

"An appeal is made to all to avoid making such fake videos viral so that there is no confusion among the people and communal harmony is maintained," the statement said.

What happened at Jharkhand's Barhi? 

A 17-year-old boy, Rupesh Kumar Pandey, was killed at Barhi on February 6 in a clash during the immersion procession of the idol of goddess Saraswati resulting in communal tension in the area.

The administration claimed that the boy was killed because of personal enmity. The Opposition BJP and family members of the deceased are demanding a CBI probe into the incident.