A video is being widely shared on social media in which some people are seen launching attacks with weapons like bows and arrows while using doors as shields. The video is juxtaposed with another video in which a boy is heard saying that the video is of tribals from Tripura defending their lands against Bangladeshi intruders. He says that the Border Security Forces are not defending the Tripura borders. Instead, the tribals of Tripura are doing so.
A social media user shared the video with a caption that reads, “Tensions flared in Tripura as local tribal residents reportedly confronted illegal Bangladeshi immigrants with traditional weapons, including bows and arrows. Frustrated by repeated border intrusions and lack of action from authorities, the tribals took matters into their own hands to defend their land and identity. The incident highlights the growing resentment in border communities over unchecked illegal migration RESIDENTS ATTAC [Tripura border conflict, illegal immigration, Bangladeshi immigrants, tribal resistance, India-ITS Borgleass diader, border tensions, Tripura news. (sic)”
SouthCheck found that the claim is false. The viral video is old and is of the Papua province of Indonesia.
On a Google reverse image search, we found that the viral video was shared by a YouTube channel, Tribun Papua on December 12, 2024. The video was shared with a caption that reads, “War Between Supporters of Intan Jaya Regency Pilkada Candidates.”
The description loosely translates into English as, “Mass clashes between supporters of the candidate pairs in the Intan Jaya Regency Pilkada, Central Papua Province. The clashes were triggered by supporters of the Apolos Bagau candidate pair, suspecting that the Aner Maiseni candidate pair was stealing their votes.”
The video was also shared by another Instagram page on December 9, 2024.
The caption associated with the video suggested that a violent clash broke out between supporters of rival candidates during the regional elections in Intan Jaya, Central Papua. The conflict began when supporters of candidate pair number 3, Apolos Bagau, accused candidate pair number 1, Aner Maiseni, of vote theft. The confrontation, which started around 9:30 am on December 7, 2024, lasted for about four hours. Over 1,000 people were involved, many armed with traditional weapons, stones, and sharp objects. During the chaos, four kiosks were set on fire.
Taking a hint, we searched with relevant keywords and found that the incident was reported by an Indonesian website on December 9, 2024. The report suggested that two rival supporter groups in Intan Jaya, Papua Tengah, clashed violently over alleged vote tampering during regional elections. The four-hour conflict involved over 1,000 people wielding traditional weapons, resulting in multiple injuries and the burning of several kiosks. Authorities intervened to restore order and facilitate a peace agreement between the groups.
Therefore, we conclude that the viral claim is false.
