The encounter of Bharat Tiwari in Bhojpur, Bihar, has been making headlines. Meanwhile, a video is going viral on social media. In the video, several people can be seen indulging in celebratory firing. Users sharing the video claim that, following the Bharat Tiwari encounter, members of the upper-caste community have opened a front against the police.
The text on the viral video reads: “Display by the upper-caste community regarding the Bharat Tiwari encounter in Bihar. New Bihar.” Sharing the video, a user named NATION MUSLIM wrote, “When Bharat Tiwari was encountered, the people of Bihar opened a front against the police!”
Another user, Mukesh Kumar, shared the video and wrote, “In Bhojpur, Bihar, a notorious youth named Bharat Tiwari pointed a weapon at the police and fired shots. When he was neutralised in retaliation, people of his caste tried to portray him as a social worker. Now, goons will be called revolutionaries in this country. If this protest is being held in his support with weapons, then everyone involved should be prosecuted.”
Apart from this, the video has also been shared by several other users, linking it to the Bharat Tiwari encounter and claiming that it shows a protest by members of the upper-caste community, which can be seen here.
Fact Check:
During our investigation, we found that the video is not from Bihar and has no connection to the Bharat Tiwari encounter. The video was posted on the Instagram account udaipurcityoflakes on March 5 and was identified as footage of the “Barood Ki Holi” (Gunpowder Holi) celebration in Menar village, Udaipur, Rajasthan. The caption of the video states: “The Gunpowder Holi of Mewar (Udaipur, Rajasthan) is not just about colours but also the most unique symbol of valour and tradition. Mewar, Barood Ki Holi, Menar Village Udaipur, Rajasthan, Menariya Ki Holi, Menar Fire Holi.”
We also found another video explaining the history of the Gunpowder Holi celebrated in Menar village. According to the video, this tradition began during the reign of Maharana Amar Singh after the Mughal outpost in Menar village was uprooted and destroyed.
For further verification, our team contacted Kamal, the operator of the udaipurcityoflakes account. He confirmed that the video is from the Holi celebrations in Menar village, Rajasthan, and stated that the claims linking it to the Bharat Tiwari encounter are false.
Conclusion:
DFRAC’s fact-check establishes that the viral video is from Udaipur, Rajasthan, and dates back to March. It has no connection to the Bharat Tiwari encounter in Bihar. Therefore, the claim being shared by social media users is misleading.
