Video of Bollywood promo event shared as Uttar Pradesh police action on protesting students

Context

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) conducted the Review Officer and Assistant Review Officer (RO/ARO) exams on February 11, 2024. Following reports of the exam paper leak, students protested outside the UPPSC headquarters in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on February 25, voicing their frustration with slogans against the officials. The Hindustan Times reported that the Uttar Pradesh police detained 28 students during these protests for arguing with officers.

What’s the claim?

Amid these protests, a video depicting police lathi-charging (using sticks as a crowd control measure) has been circulated online, claiming to show the police acting against the protesting students. The video has been shared with the hashtag #RO_ARO_RE_EXAM. Archives of similar posts can be accessed here and here. 

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

However, contrary to these claims, the video captures police managing a crowd at a promotional event for the Bollywood movie 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan,' starring Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff.

Here are the facts

A reverse image search led to a video posted by journalist Ashutosh Tripathi of Newstrack on February 26, 2024, with a caption indicating that the police resorted to lathi-charge during a stampede at the promotional event in Lucknow for 'Bade Miyan Chote Miyan' attended by actors Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. 

Further, NDTV's YouTube channel featured videos from different angles of the February 27, 2024, promotional event, showing large crowds and chaos, including people throwing footwear. The event aimed to promote the movie before its April release. The Times of India reported that chaos ensued when Tiger Shroff and Akshay Kumar threw freebies into the crowd, leading to a stampede.

It's important to note that there have been no reports of police using lathi-charge against students protesting the civil service exam paper leak. The reports confirm that 28 protesting students were detained by the police.

The verdict

The video depicting police using lathi-charge for crowd control at a Hindi film promotional event in Lucknow has been inaccurately presented as evidence of police action against students protesting in Prayagraj over the RO/ARO exam paper leak. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.