2023 clash between two caste groups in Telangana shared with false communal spin

What's being claimed?

A video showing a group of men in saffron shawls attacking two men while police attempt to intervene has been circulated online with the claim that it depicts Hindus in Tamil Nadu assaulting a Muslim man for making derogatory remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji, who founded the Maratha kingdom in 17th-century India.

An X (formerly Twitter) user shared the video with the caption, "A Jiha,di from Tamil Nadu had said objectionable words for our Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was found entering a police station in Telangana. Hindus pulled him out of the police station and thrashed him before the police (sic)." The term "Jihadi" is a derogatory label used to describe Muslims. This post garnered 511,400 views, 15,000 likes, and 3,100 retweets. Archives of similar posts can be found here and here.

Screenshot of the viral video circulating online. (Source: X/Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

The video in question, however, actually depicts a clash between members of the Backward Class (BC) and two individuals from the Scheduled Castes (SC) in Telangana in 2023. There is no communal context to this incident.

How we found the facts

A reverse image search led us to a report by The News Minute, published on February 2, 2023, featuring images that closely resemble keyframes from the viral video. According to the report, on January 31, 2023, a mob attacked Metli Naresh, a Dalit man from Devanoor village in Yalal Mandal, and another man near Yalal Police Station using chappals, stones, and pots. Three police officers attempted to intervene and protect the two men.

The report further details that on January 30, 2023, Naresh and Srinivas were involved in a dispute when Narender, a member of the Backward Class, intervened. Naresh, who was wearing a 'Shiva mala' (auspicious beads associated with the Hindu god Shiva), asked Narender to stay out of the conflict and pushed him away. 

Narender subsequently accused Naresh of insulting the 'Shiva mala' and filed a complaint at the Yalal police station. The following day, Naresh was attacked by a mob of over 100 people, and another individual mistaken for Naresh was also beaten up.

The News Minute report from 2023. (Source: The News Minute)

A South First report adds that tensions in the area were heightened due to the installation of an Ambedkar statue in the village. The Backward Class community opposed the installation, but the foundation stone was laid on January 30. This disagreement led to a confrontation between the two groups, which escalated into a violent altercation involving Naresh.

Naresh filed a complaint against eight people for caste-based insults. A BBC ground report confirms these details.

Logically Facts accessed the First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by Naresh and Narender. The FIR from January 31, based on Narender's complaint, describes a clash between the SC and BC communities over 'Shiva mala's insult.'

Screenshot of the FIR copy. (Source: Yalal Police Station)

The second FIR, filed by Naresh, states that the clash occurred on January 31, 2023, near Yalal Police Station. This FIR alleges that Narender and others used abusive language and humiliated Naresh's caste. The case is categorized under "Atrocity on the Scheduled Caste person by other than SC/ST," with no mention of any Muslim involvement.

Screenshot of the FIR Copy. (Source: Yalal Police Station)

Logically Facts also contacted local police and spoke with Balakrishna Reddy, Deputy Superintendent of Tandur. Reddy confirmed that the incident took place in Devanur village and clarified, "There is no religious angle. Two caste groups were involved. People from the BC community attacked a boy from the SC community. A case was registered."

The verdict

A 2023 video depicting a clash between two caste groups—Backward Class and Scheduled Castes—has been misleadingly framed with a communal context. The police have confirmed that the incident had no religious undertones.