Four soldiers were killed in a military station’s mess in Bathinda, Punjab due to firing on Wednesday at 4:35 pm. The shooter was reportedly in civilian clothes. An investigation of all aspects of the incident is currently underway.
However, Pakistani social media users are spreading false information about the incident by connecting it with the Khalistan movement and communal violence in India. One Pakistani user wrote, “Rogue elements in Indian army. In the Bathinda military station in Punjab, four soldiers were killed in a shooting incident. Most likely, an Indian Sikh soldier fired on Hindu soldiers. Crimes against minorities in India are starting a civil war.”
Many other Pakistani users are also sharing similarly misleading posts about the incident linking it with the Khalistan movement.
Fact Check:
DFRAC’s team conducted a fact check on these claims and found a media report of Abp News which mentioned the incident’s detailed background, and no reports include any mention of Khalistan or communal violence in India. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has been informed about the incident, and a high-level meeting has also been called regarding the issue.
As per the report of Jagran the incident is not a terrorist attack but involves the involvement of insiders. Punjab’s Director General of Police, SPS Parmar, also confirmed that it was not a terrorist attack and that people inside the station were involved.
Conclusion:
Hence, there is no evidence to support Pakistani social media users’ claims regarding the Bathinda incident. Furthermore, previous fact-checks by DFRAC highlighted that many of these accounts continuously promote anti-India campaigns on social media platforms.
