A video showing a group of people attacking with bows and arrows has now been circulated online with a false claim that it shows tribals in Tripura attacking infiltrators from Bangladesh entering India.
BOOM found that the video is from Indonesia. It was taken during a clash in Central Papua in December 2024, which occurred between two groups over allegations of stealing votes.
The video is being shared amid diplomatically strained relations between India and Bangladesh, along with unverified reports of attacks on Bangladeshi infiltrators by local tribals in Tripura.
One Instagram user shared the video with text overlaid that reads, "Ancient Justice! Tripura tribals unleash their bows and arrows against the illegal Bangladeshis immigrants."
Click here to view the post and here for an archive.
Fact Check
BOOM broke the video into keyframes and performed a reverse image search, which led to a December 9, 2024, article published by Indonesian news outlet VIVA.
The article carried a screengrab from the viral video and stated that it showed a clash between supporters of a regent candidate pair in Intan Jaya, Central Papua, on December 7, 2024.
A translated excerpt from the Indonesian report mentioned that the unrest began when supporters of candidate number 3, Apolos Bagau, accused candidate number 1, Aner Maiseni, of stealing their votes. The situation later got escalated, culminating in both groups attacking each other with bows, stones, and sharp weapons.
A report published by another Indonesian news outlet, BeritaSatu, on December 8, 2024, cited Intan Jaya Police Chief Kompol Subekti Wibowo, who said that more than 1,000 people were involved in the clash.
We also found other visuals of the same incident aired by Indonesian news channels. One such news bulletin, uploaded by Kompas TV on its official YouTube channel on December 9, 2024, can be seen below.
