The spread of pandemic coronavirus has already led to a distressing situation in the world and despite so much going on, the misinformation and false news continue to spread.
In a recent, a viral claim about a Muslim man spitting to spread coronavirus is going viral on social media. Various media reports are also doing rounds on the information.
The claim says a local, Naimuddin, had gone to a Hindu person’s shop to spit at people and spread the virus. According to the police, the rumour was spread that Naimuddin had come to Arun’s shop and spit at them. To escape any cross-questioning about his claim, Arun would open his shop beyond the fixed time in the lockdown and return late.
FACT CHECK:
According to police the accused, Arun Kumar, Manoj and Tarun Gurjar, wanted to create communal tension and spread “hatred” against the minority community.
The police reached the shop to question about the violation of lockdown and during the questioning, Arun admitted that Naimuddin had not to spit at their shop.
The other two accused had accompanied Arun to a temple where they created a bite mark to substantiate their claim. The accused told the police they wanted to turn the entire Hindu community against the Muslims and create a communal situation.
In UP’s Meerut district, 3 people were booked and arrested for spreading rumours that a local Naimuddin had spit at a shop and “was sent to spread corona virus”. The rumours were spread to settle old scores where Naimuddin had lodged a complaint against one of three arrested. pic.twitter.com/ecVTaawnC7
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) April 6, 2020
The accused have been arrested under sections 153 B (offence in place worship), 186 (obstructing public servant from duty), 193 (punishment for false evidence), 270 (malignant act to spread disease) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) among others.
FINAL VERDICT:
The claim is FALSE and it spread to create communal tension and spread “hatred” against the minority community.
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