Fact Check: A video is circulating on social media showing a young man smashing the window of a Vande Bharat Express with a hammer. The video claims that the person is a Muslim involved in "Rail Jihad." Social media users have expressed their outrage while sharing the video. However, India TV’s fact-check has revealed that this claim is entirely false.
What was the claim?
A user posted the video on the social media platform X, stating, “Train Jihad is at its peak... It's unclear where this video is from, but you can see how an ISIS module terrorist is smashing the window of a 'Vande Bharat' train to execute his conspiracy. Repost this video enough so that this terrorist is caught.” Similar captions were used by many people on Facebook and Instagram as they shared the video.
India TV Fact Check findings
This video does not show any act of damaging the train, but rather it is from the Ahmedabad Railway Maintenance Yard, where the broken glass was being replaced. The person in the video is not a Muslim. In the comments section of viral posts, we found multiple tweets indicating that the individual was breaking the glass to replace it. Upon closely examining the video, a crack can be seen at the bottom part of the glass.
An X account called "Trains of India" uploaded another video showing how the broken windows of Vande Bharat trains are replaced in the same manner. Several YouTube videos also show the process of breaking and replacing Vande Bharat windows with a hammer.
Investigation by India TV
As this video was spreading rapidly, we decided to investigate the claim. Using Google open search, we searched various websites and social media platforms. During this process, we found an account on Instagram (@singare_mahi_manish) with a person wearing the same shirt and matching the build of the person in the video. This account had multiple videos related to the Vande Bharat train. The account name was listed as "Singer Manish." Upon investigation, it was discovered that Manish indeed works for a private company in Ahmedabad responsible for railway maintenance.
The person in question is named Manish Kumar Gupta. He hails from Arrah district in Bihar and works in Ahmedabad, repairing broken windows of the Vande Bharat train. News website "The Lallantop" contacted Manish’s friends, and one of them confirmed that Manish works for a private company involved in railway maintenance in Ahmedabad.
Upon further investigation, two senior railway officials confirmed to "The Lallantop" that the incident indeed took place in Ahmedabad. They explained that the video is from the inspection of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai Vande Bharat at the integrated coaching depot in Kankaria. The video is about 5-6 days old. They also confirmed that the window was being broken to replace it. Manish originally shared the video himself but deleted it from his account after the controversy erupted.
Fact Check conclusion
The viral video claim was found to be false. India TV's fact check revealed that this video has no connection to "Rail Jihad" or any such case. The video of Vande Bharat’s window being replaced in the railway maintenance yard is being falsely shared with claims of an attack on the train and “Rail Jihad.”
