Republic TV misreports: Calls gunman a 'Jamia protester', blames Arvind Kejriwal for violence
'In the name of CAA...guns are being brandished in broad daylight.'
A few hours ago, a gunman shot a student of Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi, after brandishing a pistol at a group of students on the road outside the university. The students were leading a protest march against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.
The Delhi police identified the gunman as Ram Bhagat Gopal Sharma. He allegedly shouted, "Yeh lo Azadi. Hindustan zindabad. Delhi police zindabad.” Here is your Azadi. Hail India. Hail Delhi police.
Even as reports and videos flew thick and fast on social media, Republic TV led with the news that a "Jamia protester" had turned "violent".
‘Guns are being brandished in the national capital, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal are supporting it.’
— Jaskirat Singh Bawa (@JaskiratSB) January 30, 2020
For a good half and hour or more @republic TV and their reporter @aishkapoor passed off the shooter as the ‘real face of anti-CAA’ protests. pic.twitter.com/QrMkeiT5Kr
A screenshot of Republic's claim soon did the rounds too.
Aishwarya Kapoor, the channel's political editor, said: "In the name of CAA...guns are being brandished in broad daylight on the streets of the national capital. Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal have supported it."
When Kapoor said, "This should not be allowed", Republic's reporter chimed in over the telephone: "That is exactly the point...They have no remorse."
At this point, the ticker on the bottom of the screen read "Jamia protesters use guns".
Kapoor was relentless. "Is Delhi not under threat...In the name of anti-CAA, this is happening."
Republic later said their crew was "heckled" at the university.
#BREAKING on #GunsInJamia | Republic TV's crew heckled at Jamia University while reporting on shooting incident; Tune in for updates here - https://t.co/RZHKU3wOei pic.twitter.com/U4aDInL4PX
— Republic (@republic) January 30, 2020
Its subsequent reporting made no mention of the "fact" that the gunman was from Jamia. This Facebook profile, which reportedly belongs to the gunman, has several posts on his intentions to fire at Jamia students.
Courtesy: www.newslaundry.com
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
