Video of Demolition Drive in J&K Falsely Linked to Rohingyas

A video that shows a group of officials with JCB machines demolishing semi-constructed structures is being massively shared online to claim that it shows the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir demolishing the houses of “Rohingya Muslims”.

The text along with video goes on to claim that the drive took place under the “Roshni Act”, which has been scrapped. However, we found that the video does show a demolition drive but has no connection with Rohingyas.

Speaking to The Quint’s WebQoof team, Jammu and Kashmir Lakes & Waterways Development Authority, Enforcement Officer (Dy SP) Abdul Aziz Qadri said that the department undertakes these drives to remove illegal constructions and encroachments in the area.

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CLAIM

The claim along with the video reads, “जम्मू कश्मीर में रोहिंग्या जेहादियों की रोशनी एक्ट के तहत बसाई गई बस्ती उखाड़ी जा रही है |”

[Translation: Houses of Rohingya Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir are being demolished under the Roshni Act.]

This post had been viewed over one million times at the time of writing this story. The video has been shared with the same claim on Facebook.

WHAT WE FOUND

We fragmented the video using the InVid Google Chrome extension and conducted a reverse image search. This led us to a video uploaded on YouTube by a channel called Fast Kashmir on 5 June.

The description of the video mentioned that it was a demolition drive by the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority.

As the viral video carried the logo of Jammu Links News, we searched on their YouTube channel and found the same video uploaded on 5 June.

The description of the video mentioned that the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority through its Enforcement Wing demolished several illegal constructions in the area of Lashkari Mohalla, Doji Mohalla, Burzhama, Wangut Teilbal and Nishat.

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We found several other videos and reports on the incident, which mentioned that action was taken against illegal construction and encroachment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We then contacted Lakes and Waterways Development Authority Enforcement Officer (Dy SP) Abdul Aziz Qadri, who told us that the claim is “far from truth”.

"“These are regular drives that we undertake to remove illegal construction and encroachment from the area. We are working towards the conservation of Dal and other green belt area because of which we remove/demolish illegal structures in the area where construction is not allowed.”" - Abdul Aziz Qadri, Lakes and Waterways Development Authority Enforcement Officer

He added that they carried out another drive in the Lal Bazar area. We also got in touch with a local reporter who reiterated what Qadri said, adding that the video has nothing to do with Rohingyas.

Clearly, an unrelated video is being passed off as authorities demolishing houses of Rohingyas in Jammu and Kashmir.

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