A recent video of police lathi-charge on people during the Durga Puja procession in Bihar's Munger is doing the rounds on Facebook with claims that it shows West Bengal police's brutality.
The viral clip shows Bihar police attacking a group of people, who were reportedly going for a Durga idol immersion. The clip, shot from atop a building, surfaced on October 27 on various social media platforms and has sparked outrage for the alleged police brutality. Bihar's legislative assembly elections began on October 28.
The viral video contains disturbing visuals of security personnel rounding up a group and reigning lathis on them. The group can be seen taking cover behind a Durga idol.
The video has been shared by Facebook pages of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Bengal unit, which identifies the force as West Bengal Police. One such post in Bangla reads, "Condemning Didi's police who attacked the Hindu religion again."
Original text in Bangla: "আবার হিন্দু ধর্মের ওপর আক্রমণ দিদির পুলিশকে ধিক্কার জানাই।''
Click here to see the video and here for an archived link.
Note: The video is disturbing in nature. Discretion advised.
The video has also been shared with the text in Bengali, which translates to, "Such attack by police on followers of the Hindu religion in this state. Condemn! Be ashamed." (Original text in Bangla: এই রাজ্যে হিন্দু ধর্মাবলি মানুষদের ওপর এহেন পুলিশি আক্রমণ! ধিক্কার শুধুই ধিক্কার !! ছি:!)
BOOM was able to ascertain that the footage is from Bihar's Munger, where violence erupted on October 26 during the Durga idol immersion process.
According to a report in The Times of India, areas of Munger turned violent during the Durga Puja immersion procession on October 26. At least one person died from gunshot injury in head and seven were injured during the violence. An excerpt from the report reads, "The incident happened late Monday night at Deendayal Upadhyaya Chowk under Kotwali police station area. At least one person died from gunshot injury and seven more have been injured."
According to an NDTV news report some "anti-social elements" targeted the police and threw stones at them. "Violence reportedly erupted following a row between volunteers taking an idol for immersion and the police, which accused the group of delaying the process. The stone-throwing led to a lathi-charge. When the situation escalated, the police reportedly also fired."
Lipi Singh, Superintendent of Police, Munger, told NDTV, "During Durga puja immersion, some anti-social elements resorted to stone-pelting which left 20 policemen injured. After this someone from the crowd fired, leading to one death. The situation is under control." According to reports said 13 police personnel including seven station house inspectors sustained severe injures due to stone pelting.
Below is ABP News' report, featuring the same video.