On Monday, several news outlets reported about an alleged assault of an Indian Army soldier in Kadakkal, in Kerala's Kollam district, by a group of people, with the words "PFI" - short for Popular Front of India, a now-banned Islamic political organisation - written on his back by his assailants.
BOOM found these reports to be false; our fact-check reveals that the entire incident was faked by the soldier Shine Kumar. Kadakkal Police told BOOM that Kumar has been taken into custody for falsifying the case, and getting his friend to write "PFI" on his back.
Kumar's friend, Joshy, also admitted to falsifying the case with Kumar, and writing "PFI" on his back, in a video statement to Kadakkal Police, which was reported by Malayalam news outlet 24 News.
The fictional story of the assault was reported by news outlets ANI, Outlook India, Times Now, Hindustan Times, India Today, Free Press Journal, NDTV, and Live Mint, along with right-wing portals OpIndia and Panchjanya.
ANI further reported the Indian Army stating, "A soldier on leave at his native place in Kollam, Kerala has complained to the local police and his unit that he was attacked by 5-6 miscreants who, after the assault, wrote PFI on his back."
Fact-Check
A day after the reports of the assault went viral, several X users (formerly Twitter) posted an article by Malayalam news outlet 24 News, which reported that the entire incident was faked by the soldier Shine Kumar.
The report added a statement from his friend Joshy to the Kadakkal Police, admitting to having written "PFI" on Kumar's back, and that both were arrested and taken in for questioning by the cops.
In the footage containing his statement, Joshy explains, "I heard him say DFI, so I wrote DFI, and then he said PFI , so I changed it into PFI. He earlier asked me to punch him, but I couldn't do so in that situation, because I was too drunk.Then he said he will lie down, and asked me to pull him. Since he was too heavy I couldn't do that also, so he tied himself using a tape."
The News Minute also reported the same, and added that the police "had tracked the mobile phones of Shine and Joshy, and found that both the mobile phones were in the same place at the time of the alleged incident".
BOOM also reached out to Binil V.S., the Assistant sub-inspector of police at Kadakkal Police, who confirmed the details reported by 24 News.
"The soldier, in order to get famous, did this along with his friend. Currently, the soldier, and his friend, Joshy, are in Police custody. He (the soldier) made Joshy write PFI on his back. The paint and brush used for writing it has been recovered from Joshy's residence. These two have been arrested, and will be presented in the court," he stated over a telephone conversation.
BOOM reached out to an Indian Army spokesperson, who acknowledged to us that "matter is under investigation by the Police". "Army is extending support. Appropriate action will be taken as per outcome of the investigation," the spokesperson added.