False: CCTV footage allegedly shows Mangaluru autorickshaw blast suspect Mohammad Shariq walking with a backpack.

By: Annie Priya
November 24 2022

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Context

A bomb exploded in an auto-rickshaw in Mangaluru, Karnataka, on November 19, 2022. Two people were injured in this attack, including the accused, Mohammad Shariq. Victim Purushottam Poojaray and accused Shariq are both undergoing treatment. The Mangaluru police are investigating the case and confirm it is "an act of terror." In the meantime, the CCTV footage of two people walking in front of the shop where the incident occurred has circulated on Twitter. Several news sites claimed that the person in the video was Shariq, the Mangaluru bomber. Mainstream news channels like Republic World and India Today have also aired this CCTV footage on their YouTube, claiming that Shariq can be seen walking with a big backpack in the video along with the second suspect. However, Mangaluru police have denied that the video is related to the Mangaluru blast.

In Fact

A keyword search for "Mangaluru Blast" on Twitter led us to a tweet by Karnataka's Additional director general of police (ADGP) Law and Order, Alok Kumar, dated November 22. He shared the same video and said, "This misleading video is still doing rounds. Our investigation reveals that the persons appearing in this video are not involved in the Mangalore blast incident. Plz don't be cause for rumour mongering. Plz don't pay heed to rumours. Let's work together to preserve peace."

Taking to Twitter, the Karnataka State Police Factcheck also said, "There is no link of this cctv clipping to the recently occured Mangalore auto rickshaw blast case investigation. It is totally unconnected." 

N. Shashi Kumar, Mangaluru City Police Commissioner, also clarified the video is unrelated by tweeting in the Kannada language, which reads in English, "In one of the videos, there is a scene of two people walking with a bag, and the news is spreading that they are involved in the blast case that happened in Mangalore, but this video is not related to the blast case that happened in Mangalore."

Hindustan Times cited Asian News International's tweet, stating that N. Shashi Kumar also clarified the footage was unrelated. The tweet says Shashi Kumar appealed to people not to share unverified videos and connect them to the attack on November 19. He also mentioned that the accused suffered burn injuries in the blast and is undergoing treatment.

The article stated that Shariq has connections to Mateen Ahmed Taha, a member of the IS' Al-Hind module, which was active in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka police have also initiated five teams to investigate this case. The case is under investigation.

The Verdict

Though we could not find the original location of the video in question, police officials have clarified that the video is unrelated to the recent auto rickshaw blast case in Mangaluru.