India TV Fact Check: A picture is going viral on social media with the claim that the idol of Lord Ganesha has been arrested in Karnataka. However, when India TV fact-checked this claim, it has been proved to be completely false.
What is going viral?
A picture is going viral on social media showing police officers carrying a Ganesha idol and another picture of the same idol in a police van. This image is being spread with the claim that even God is being arrested in Karnataka. One caption accompanying the post reads, "This is the condition of Hindus in their own country; now even God is being arrested because he is the God of Hindus. Our revered God Shri Ganesh Ji has been insulted by the Karnataka Police. What does the Karnataka government and its police want to prove by taking Ganesh Ji in a police van?"
India TV did investigation
As the picture of a Ganesha idol in a police van went viral on social media, being linked to the arrest of Lord Ganesha, we decided to investigate this claim. At first, we searched this picture on Google Open Search with the help of keywords related to the news. A search using relevant keywords led to a news article from The Times of India explaining the incident. According to the report, the event occurred on September 13 when a protest near Bengaluru Town Hall was held demanding an investigation into Mandya communal violence. The protest was not permitted, and the police arrived to detain the protesters. During this process, they saw a Ganesha idol being held by a protester, which was placed in an empty police van for safekeeping. This action drew media attention, but the police later ensured that the idol was properly immersed.
What came out in fact check?
India TV's fact check has revealed that the viral picture claiming the arrest of Lord Ganesha's idol is false. The image actually shows the idol being temporarily placed in an empty police van during a protest to protect it. The idol was later properly immersed. The misleading claim circulating on social media has been debunked, and people are advised to be cautious of such false posts.
