In March 2025, communal violence erupted in Mothabari, Malda district, West Bengal, where mobs allegedly targeted and vandalised shops owned by Hindus. Police arrested at least 34 individuals to restore peace and urged the public to avoid spreading rumours.
In the above context, a video is widely being shared on social media in which some people are seen torching fire on the streets.
The video is shared with a caption claiming that it shows communal violence in Mothabari, Malda.
A social media user shared the video with a caption that reads, “A serious situation in Mothabari Malda on March 28, 2025. Violent scene with individuals using a homemade firearm amid fires and chaos. Reports confirm a mob allegedly targeting Hindu-owned shops, escalating tensions in West Bengal. This demands a President’s rule in the state due to the deteriorating law and order situation under the leadership of CM Mamata Banerjee.”
SouthCheck found that the claim is false. The viral video is old and is from Bangladesh.
On doing a Google reverse image search, we found that the viral video was shared by Prothom Alo on March 28, 2025. At around 3 seconds, we can see that the same video was there in which the man is seen setting fire on an auto. The video was shared with a description which, when translated in English, reads, “Torchlight procession and vehicle vandalism in support of the blockade in Sylhet.”
On searching with relevant keywords, we further found that the incident was also reported by Prothom Alo, a Bangladeshi news website, on November 26, 2023. The incident suggested that in the Subidbazar area of Sylhet in Bangladesh, a torch procession supporting a blockade by BNP activists turned violent. Several vehicles, including rickshaws and an ambulance, were set on fire, causing panic and forcing local businesses to shut down.
We further found that The Business Standard Bangladesh also reported the incident on November 15, 2023.
According to the report, the Election Commission declared that the Jatiya Sangsad election will be held on 7 January, amid staunch objections from the opposition parties, including the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami. As a result, leaders and activists of the BNP brought out processions across the country protesting the announcement of the schedule for the 12th Parliamentary election. As a result of the protest, three people were held.
Hence, we can ascertain that the viral claim is false.
