ANI posts misleading tweet linking Muslims to Manipur viral video, deletes later
New Delhi: ANI, South Asia's leading multimedia news agency, faced backlash after deleting a misleading tweet related to the Manipur viral video case, where two women were paraded naked. The now-deleted tweet wrongly suggested that Manipur police had created a Muslim angle to blame for the issue.
On July 21st, Manipur Police took to Twitter to share information about the arrest of four prime accused involved in the heinous crime of abduction and gangrape under Nongpok Sekmai Police Station in Thoubal District. In another tweet, they mentioned the arrest of one individual, identified as Md Ibungo alias Abdul Hilim, who is a cadre of the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) Pro, by Imphal East District Police.
However, ANI combined these two separate cases and tweeted, "Manipur Viral: 'One cadre of People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) Pro namely Md Ibungo alias Abdul Hilim (38) of Imphal East was arrested by Imphal East District Police. A total of three main accused of the heinous crime of abduction and gangrape under Nongpok Sekmai PS, Thoubal District have been arrested: Manipur Police."
The misleading tweet triggered reactions from BJP members and right-wing groups, who used it to create a false Muslim angle to blame for the incident. The tweet was also shared by several right-wing accounts and news sites, including NDTV, leading to the spread of misinformation.
Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News, exposed the misinformation on his Twitter account and shared screenshots with factual evidence, questioning ANI's negligence in verifying the information. After facing criticism and realizing the error, ANI deleted the tweet and issued an apology on Twitter, expressing regret for the misinformation.
However, Zubair pointed out that the apology came after a considerable delay, and had ANI clarified their mistake immediately, the fake news wouldn't have gone viral. The incident highlights the importance of responsible reporting and fact-checking in the fast-paced world of social media and news dissemination.
Hello @smitaprakash, @ANI first tweeted this and later delete the tweet. Was it because this was an unrelated case?
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) July 20, 2023
According to @manipur_police, Four main accused were arrested by Thoubal District police. And the other person arrested by Imphal East district police was for… pic.twitter.com/0SeH6DXHbR
Note on Story retraction and APOLOGY: Yesterday evening, inadvertently a tweet was posted by ANI regarding arrests undertaken by the Manipur Police. This was based on an erroneous reading of tweets posted by the Manipur police as it was confused with an earlier tweet regarding…
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2023
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UP: Govt hospital staff booked for sexually assaulting woman in pretext of ultrasound test
Gorakhpur (PTI): A hospital employee was booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in the pretext of an ultrasound test here in the district women's hospital, police said on Saturday.
According to the complaint, the woman, a resident of the Gulriha area, visited the district women's hospital on Thursday morning for an ultrasound test.
She was directed to a room, where Abhimanyu Gupta was conducting ultrasounds. When her turn came, the accused allegedly stared at her and told her to remove all her clothes, claiming it was necessary for the test and that a massage would also be required, she said.
ALSO READ: UP: Girl kidnapped, raped multiple times over 25 days; accused held
The woman alleged that once she complied, the accused began making obscene advances and tried to force himself on her. When she screamed, he allegedly gagged her, abused her and threatened to kill her before pushing her out of the room.
She said her complaints within the hospital went unheard, forcing her to approach the police.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the hospital administration constituted a three-member inquiry committee, officials said.
Senior consultant (paediatrics) Dr Jay Kumar said, "The woman has levelled serious allegations against a staff member. Senior officials have been informed, and a departmental inquiry is underway. Strict action will be taken if the charges are proved."
Kotwali Station House Officer Chatrapal Singh said a case has been registered, and efforts are on to nab the accused.
