Passenger’s fake theft claim at Delhi Airport with communal colour debunked by CISF
Media outlets amplify false communal claim without verifying or including official response
New Delhi: A passenger’s baseless claim of theft at Delhi Airport with communal colour has been debunked by the CISF. Dr Tushar Mehta, claiming to be an orthopaedic surgeon, had alleged on X that his Apple Watch was stolen after a security check at Terminal 3 of Delhi Airport. He accused two individuals, identified as Shoaib and Md Saqib, of being involved in the alleged theft, with one of them reportedly working at the Helios store in the terminal.
In his now-deleted tweet, Dr Mehta claimed that after placing his watch in a security tray, he realised it was missing upon crossing the scanner. He alleged that he confronted an individual, forcibly retrieved his watch from the person’s pocket, and accused the Helios store staff member of collusion. He further criticised the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel for their response, claiming they defended the accused and demanded an apology for his "rude behaviour."
Dr Mehta’s tweet quickly gained attention and was amplified by several news outlets without verifying the facts or seeking a response from the authorities.
CISF investigation debunks claims
The CISF, upon noticing the allegations, conducted a detailed investigation by reviewing CCTV footage. The footage revealed that Dr Mehta had taken his watch from the security tray himself and worn it before proceeding to the boarding gate. There was no evidence of interaction with any CISF personnel or suspicious behaviour by other individuals.
In its official statement, the CISF clarified, "The review of the CCTV has contradicted the sequence of events as narrated. After the security check, the passenger was seen wearing the watch and heading to the boarding gate without any interaction with CISF personnel. Posting such unsubstantiated messages creates unnecessary apprehension in the minds of passengers, hence avoidable."
Delhi Airport authorities also corroborated the CISF’s findings, emphasising that passenger safety and security are their top priorities.
Spread of misinformation
Despite the clarification by the CISF and Delhi Airport, the unverified claims were widely circulated by several media outlets, including propaganda platform @OpIndia_com, which republished the allegations without incorporating the official response. This further amplified the misinformation, contributing to unnecessary panic and divisive narratives.
Dr Mehta’s accusations specifically named individuals with Muslim names, raising concerns about the intent behind his statements. Critics on social media accused him of attempting to propagate communal narratives under the guise of a theft allegation. Following the debunking of his claims, Dr Mehta deleted his tweet.
Here are a few News reports based on his X post. How can propaganda outlet Opindia not report about it. pic.twitter.com/F4GcYAQXwC
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RG Kar crime anniversary: One held for 'assaulting' police constable during protest
Kolkata (PTI): Sleuths of the Kolkata Police on Wednesday arrested a person from here for allegedly being involved in assaulting the guard of an IPS officer during 'Nabanna Abhiyan', a march to the West Bengal secretariat, last week, an officer said.
The person, identified as Chandan Gupta, a resident of Jagatdal in North 24 Parganas district, was arrested from Bow Bazar area in central Kolkata this morning, he said.
"The person has been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for attempting to kill constable Prasanta Poddar, who is a guard of DC SSD Bidisha Kalita Dasgupta. He is being questioned," the officer said.
Chaos and violent agitation dominated the streets of Kolkata and adjacent Howrah on August 9, a day that marked the completion of one year of the rape and murder of the doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
"The search for other accused is underway," he said.
Seven FIRs were filed against several individuals, including BJP MLAs Ashok Dinda, Agnimitra Paul and other leaders, for allegedly obstructing security personnel from performing their duties, assaulting them and causing damage to public properties during the march to the West Bengal secretariat on August 9.
Incidentally, the father of the deceased doctor of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital filed an FIR, accusing the police of torturing his wife during the protest.
