Video does not show an attack on a ‘saffron bike rally’ in West Bengal

By: Mohammad Salman
May 3 2024

Share Article:

Screenshot of the claim made online (Source: X/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

What's the claim?

A video has been going viral on social media amid the ongoing general elections in India. The video shows numerous motorcycles strewn across a road, with individuals vandalizing these vehicles and hurling stones at a crowd carrying saffron flags. The footage also contains instances of verbal abuse and calls for violence.

The video was shared with the claim that it depicts an attack during a "saffron bike rally" in West Bengal, with criticism directed at the state's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee. A user on X (previously known as Twitter) captioned the post, "Observe how a 'saffron bike rally' is ‘treated’ under Mamata’s governance (sic)?"

This post has accumulated over 27,000 views to date. An archived version of the post can be accessed here, with additional posts available here and here.

Screenshot of the claim made online (Source: X/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, contrary to the claim, the video originates from Sambalpur, Odisha, not West Bengal. The footage captures the violence during a bike rally on Hanuman Jayanti in April 2023.

How did we verify the truth?

A reverse image search of the viral video's keyframes led us to a similar video uploaded by Mojo Story on its YouTube channel on April 15, 2023 (archived here). According to their report, the incident took place in Sambalpur, Odisha.

Comparison of the viral video and the Mojo Story video. (X/Mojo Story/Screenshot)

The location in the viral video matches the visuals in a video report by OTV News (archived), where the viral video was filmed.

A comparison of the viral video and the OTV News video. (Source: X/OTV News/Screenshot)

According to an ANI report, violence broke out during a bike rally organized on Hanuman Jayanti, a festival celebrating the birth of the god Hanuman, in Sambalpur, Odisha, on April 12, 2023. The rally began around 6 p.m. and involved many individuals, including members of the Hanuman Jayanti Coordination Committee and Bajrang Dal activists.

A clash ensued between two communities in the city during the procession, resulting in injuries to at least ten police officers. Following the incident, a curfew was imposed in the city, and internet services were restricted.

An Indian Express report indicates that the rally on April 12 covered a three-kilometer distance, starting from Govindtola around 5 p.m. and proceeding towards Golbazar, passing through Bhutapada, Motijharan, Sunapali, and Dhanakauda — areas with minority populations. The report states that when the rally reached Motijharan Chowk around 6 p.m., some participants halted there and began chanting slogans like "Jai Shri Ram" and "Bharat Mata ki Jai," while the rest of the crowd moved towards Sunapali. This is where the violence erupted, particularly near the Noori mosque in the city. In response to this incident, the police arrested approximately 32 individuals.

Furthermore, we identified the street in front of the 'Noori' mosque on Google Maps using Street View and confirmed it as the location where the viral video was filmed. It's worth noting that the decorations visible on the street in Street View are for Eid Milad-un-Nabi. We found several posters and banners in the area commemorating Eid Milad-un-Nabi.

Comparison of the viral video and a screenshot of the location from Google Maps. (Source: X/Google Maps/Screenshot)

The verdict

The evidence confirms that the viral video originates from Sambalpur, Odisha, not West Bengal. Furthermore, the footage is not recent; it dates back to a year ago. As a result, we have marked this claim as false.