Minor Muslim student cuts his own hand, claims Hindus abducted and forced him to say "Jai Shri Ram"
Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, India 
22 October, 2024
Case Summary
A false accusation made by a 15-year-old Muslim school student, Danish, from Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, was exposed, wherein he claimed he had been abducted, assaulted, and forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram" by Hindu leaders. According to his initial claims, Danish alleged that the Hindu group leaders took him in a van, beat him, and coerced him to chant the Hindu slogan because he belonged to a minority community. This accusation stirred communal tensions and was widely reported by some media outlets. However, upon investigation by the Hardoi police on October 21, 2024, it was found that Danish had fabricated the entire story. The police discovered that Danish had actually hidden in an abandoned building after being pressured by his mother to attend school, despite not having completed his homework. He deliberately cut his hand with a blade in multiple places and later returned home, claiming that he had been kidnapped and tortured by Hindu leaders. The police uncovered the truth after questioning Danish. He admitted to lying about the abduction. He explained that he had made up the story to avoid going to school. Danish's mother was reportedly unaware of his intentions and was worried when he had not returned home on time. After the investigation, the police decided not to take formal legal action, given Danish's age, but issued a warning to him.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Hate speech against Hindus and within this, the sub-category selected is- Anti-Hindu subversion and prejudice. Further, based on case details, the tertiary category selected here is- Anti-Hindu Fake News or Downplaying. Hate speech is defined as any speech, gesture, conduct, writing, or display that is prejudicial against a specific individual and/or group of people, which is leading to or may lead to violence, prejudicial action or hate against that individual and/or group. Media plays a specific and overarching reach in perpetuating prejudicial attitudes towards a community owing to unfair, untrue coverage and/or misrepresentation/misinterpretation, selective coverage and/or omission of facts of/pertaining to issues affecting a specific religious group. This type of bias can dehumanise the victim group, making it easier for others to justify harmful actions against them, which aligns with the objectives of hate speech laws aimed at preventing such harm. It is often observed that the media takes a prejudicial stand against the Hindu community driven by their need to shield the aggressor community which happens to be a numeric minority, however, is the one perpetrating violence against Hindus. For example, the media is often quick to contextualise religiously motivated crimes against Hindus, omit or misrepresent facts that point towards religiously motivated hate crimes, justify and/or downplay religiously motivated hate crimes or simply present fake news to stereotype Hindus. Such media bias leads to the denial of persecution and is often used to dehumanise Hindus, leading to justification for violence against them. For example, the media covered several fake allegations of Hindus targeting Muslims and forcing them to chant Jai Shree Ram. Most of these cases were proved false and fabricated after police investigation. These fake news reports were subsequently never retracted or clarified. Such fake news led to the justification of violence and dehumanisation of Hindus based on the argument that since Hindus targeted Muslims and forced them to chant Jai Shree Ram, the dehumanisation of Hindus and violence against them was par for the course and merely a retaliation. Such media bias leads to prejudicial portrayal of Hindus and offers a justification for violence against them and therefore, is considered hate speech under this category. In this case, a Muslim student named Danish injured himself with a blade to avoid going to school, later claiming that Hindus had abducted him and forced him to chant "Jai Shri Ram." This incident serves as a clear example of fake news designed to cast Hindus in a negative light. It fits within a broader pattern of misrepresentation, where fabricated or misleading stories are created to depict Hindus as aggressors. By falsely accusing Hindus of abduction and coercion, especially in the context of religious manipulation like being forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram," this incident reveals a deeper animosity and hostility toward Hindus and their faith. Such a lie reflects an underlying agenda to perpetuate a narrative that positions Hindus as oppressors. Ultimately, this kind of false accusation fuels a cycle of religiously motivated hate, driven by deep-seated religious animosity toward Hindus and this is why, this case has been included in the tracker.
Case Status
Complaint not filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
