A video has recently been circulated on social media with the claim: “In Gazipur, a girl was gang-raped on the street in front of her father while they were visiting a relative’s house.”
Posts with this claim can be seen on Facebook here (archive), here (archive), and here (archive).
Additionally, the video was shared from India-based X accounts claiming: “In Gazipur, Islamists gang-raped a Hindu girl in front of her father. On the way to a relative’s house, Islamists abducted them, tied the father, and gang-raped the girl.” (translated)
See such a post here (archive).
By the time of this report, the above post had over 431,000 views and more than 4,500 likes from separate accounts.
Fact-check
Rumor Scanner’s investigation found that the video is not from Gazipur and has no connection to any gang rape. In fact, the girl shown is Nupur Das. On August 9, in Taraganj, Rangpur, Nupur’s father Rupalal Das and relative Pradip Das were beaten to death on suspicion of van theft. The video shows Nupur crying after the incident, which was misused to spread the rape claim.
A report from mainstream media outlet ATN News included the same video on August 11 under the title:“Went to fix the wedding date, father-in-law and son-in-law beaten to death on suspicion of theft.” Comparison shows this is the same footage now falsely circulated as rape-related.
In the video, Nupur can be heard saying her name and her father’s name (Rupalal). When asked to identify another person, she names him as Pradip. Another witness in the footage describes the deceased as a cobbler whose relatives had come to finalize a marriage. During this time, Pradip, a van driver, was attacked along with Rupalal on suspicion of theft.
Further verification through a Daily Star report (August 10) confirmed that Rupalal Das (40) and Pradip Das (35) were lynched in Taraganj, Rangpur, over van theft suspicion. Witnesses stated the two were stopped, interrogated, and then beaten by a mob until they died.
Similar reports from other outlets, including Prothom Alo here, corroborated the details.
Another report from Samakal here confirmed that Nupur is Rupalal’s elder daughter and that the family tragedy occurred when her wedding was being arranged.
Across all credible sources, there is no evidence of rape.
Conclusion
The video circulating with the claim of a gang rape in Gazipur is actually from Rangpur. It shows Nupur Das mourning after her father and relative were lynched on suspicion of van theft. The claim linking it to rape is false.
Sources
- ATN News – Went to fix wedding date, father-in-law and son-in-law beaten to death on theft suspicion
- Prothom Alo – Relative killed on the way, suspected of theft
- The Daily Star – Two killed in mob beating over van theft suspicion in Rangpur
- Samakal – “Why did you kill my innocent husband, what about my daughter’s marriage?”
