Two videos are being shared on social media with the claim that mosques are being demolished in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, and that during the process, police allegedly killed seven Muslim youths, while several others were injured.
A verified user on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Anushi Tiwari Indian, shared the viral video and wrote that she is a Hindu Indian girl and condemns this. She claimed that Indian Muslims in #Meerut are facing severe brutality. Mosques are being demolished, and @MeerutPolice has taken the lives of seven Muslim boys, while several others have been injured.
Fact Check
To investigate the claim accompanying the viral videos, DFRAC examined news reports related to the incident in Meerut. However, we did not find any news report confirming that mosques had been vandalised in Meerut or that seven Muslim youths had lost their lives during police action.
We then took the investigation further and conducted reverse searches of keyframes from both viral videos separately. During this process, we found a report by Dainik Bhaskar regarding the first video. The report, published four months ago, contains another video similar to the viral footage. Providing details about the video, the report stated that “A mosque named ‘Mustafa Qadri’, reportedly built on government graveyard land in Sambhal, was demolished using a bulldozer on Saturday. Located in Kaserua village in the Nakhasa area, the front portion and pillars of the mosque were demolished first, after which its 55-foot-high minaret was brought down with the help of a Hydra machine.”
In this regard, we also found a report published by India Today on June 6, 2026. The report used a screenshot from the viral video as its featured image. It stated that “The Uttar Pradesh administration began the demolition of the Mustafa Qadri Mosque in Sambhal district on Saturday. The mosque is at the centre of a dispute over land ownership. Officials claim that it was built on government land, while members of the mosque committee have challenged the move through legal means. Four bulldozers were deployed to demolish the mosque, which was built on a 120-square-metre plot. A heavy deployment of police and revenue department officials remained at the site during the operation.”
Apart from this, we found another report published by Dainik Jagran on June 6, 2026, in this regard. The report also used a screenshot from the viral video as its featured image. It stated that “The Mustafa Qadri Mosque, built on government graveyard land in Kaserua village of Sambhal tehsil, was demolished using a bulldozer. The mosque had been constructed on 120 square metres of the approximately 1,200-square-metre graveyard land recorded under plot number 409. In the presence of more than 100 police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) personnel, the front portion and pillars of the mosque were demolished first. The 55-foot-high minaret was then brought down using a Hydra machine. Posters bearing the words ‘I Love Muhammad’ and a green flag were also found on the mosque’s first floor. Authorities said action would be taken in connection with the printing of the posters.”
Meanwhile, regarding the second video, we found a media report by ABP News on YouTube. Published on September 28, 2026, the report contains footage from the viral video. Its caption reads: “Ujjain Shahi Masjid Demolition: Five policemen beating each protester, protests over the mosque!”
Regarding the video, we also found another media report by Vindhya First on YouTube. Published on September 28, 2026, the report contains footage from the viral video. Its caption reads: “Tensions escalated over Ujjain’s Shahi Mosque. A large number of people gathered to oppose the removal of a portion of the mosque for road widening. As the situation deteriorated, police used tear gas, and reports of a baton charge also emerged. A heavy police contingent and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed at the site. The action is linked to a road-widening project being undertaken as part of preparations for Simhastha 2028. A hearing in the matter was also scheduled before the Madhya Pradesh High Court.”
In addition, we found another media report about the video on YouTube by NDTV India. Published on September 28, 2026, this report also contains footage from the viral video. Its caption reads: “Ujjain Mosque News: Fresh uproar over the Shahi Mosque dispute, police baton-charge crowd in Ujjain.”
Finally, we also spoke with Shuaib Vasti, a local advocate based in Sambhal. After watching the video, he stated that “The viral video is not related to Meerut but to the demolition of the Mustafa Qadri Mosque in Kaserua, Sambhal. It is incorrect to describe the video as an incident from Meerut.”
Conclusion
DFRAC’s fact-check did not find any evidence to substantiate the claim accompanying the viral videos that police killed seven Muslim youths during mosque demolitions in Meerut. The first video shows the demolition of the Mustafa Qadri Mosque in Sambhal, while the second is related to protests and police action over Ujjain’s Shahi Mosque. Therefore, sharing both videos as incidents from Meerut is misleading.
| Claim Review | Did police kill seven Muslim youths during mosque demolitions in Meerut? |
|---|---|
| Claim By | Social media users |
| Fact Check | Misleading claim |
Sources
- Dainik Bhaskar report.
- India Today report.
- Dainik Jagran report.
- ABP News report.
- Vindhya First report.
- NDTV India report.
- Statement by advocate Shuaib Vasti.
