A video allegedly showing a Hindu man groping a burqa-clad Muslim woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad is making the rounds on social media. Sharing screenshots of the video in a Facebook post, one person wrote, “Disturbing and shameful. Muradabad muslim women harrased by a Hindu man on road.”

India Today Fact Check, however, found that both the victim and the accused in the incident were Muslims.

Our Probe

Reverse-searching keyframes from the viral video led us to multiple news reports about the incident. A Times of India report stated that CCTV footage from Moradabad showed a man groping a burqa-clad woman on a street. The incident reportedly took place in the Gol Kothi Wali Gali area of Moradabad on August 3.

A case was registered against the accused by the Nagfani police after the video of the incident went viral on social media. The accused was arrested on August 5. All news reports identified the accused as Aadil Saifi, a Muslim man.

According to the police, they ran into the suspect in the early hours of August 5, while conducting an awareness campaign about drones in the Nagphani area of Moradabad. When they tried to stop him, Saifi attempted to flee on his bike. As police chased him, Saifi shot at the police.

The police also fired back and arrested Saifi, who was injured in the encounter. Police confiscated his bike with a missing number plate, and an illegal country-made pistol. After the arrest, Saifi confessed.

Saifi, son of Pappu, is a resident of the Umri Kalan town of Moradabad, and worked at a private hospital. Reportedly, he has a history of sexual harassment.

Ranvijay Singh, Superintendent of Police of Moradabad, confirmed to India Today Fact Check that there was no communal angle to the incident. Both the victim and the accused in the matter were Muslims.

Thus, it’s clear that the viral claims are false.

– Ends