Verification of Alleged Rohingya Clash in Assam

A video circulated on social media has sparked incorrect claims about Rohingya Muslims taking over a mosque in India. The footage, which went viral with approximately 6,000 views on Twitter, is misrepresented as an incident involving Rohingya Muslims seizing control of a mosque owned by Indian Muslims in Bilasipara, Assam. In actuality, the clash depicted in the video occurred between two local groups concerning the management committee of the mosque and took place in December 2022.

According to a reverse image search, reports from January 3, 2023, confirmed that the altercation was an internal dispute not involving Rohingya Muslims. Newschecker, a fact-checking organization, investigated the claims and discovered that local authorities, including Inspector T Boro from Bilasipara police station, affirmed that Rohingya individuals were not participants in this event. The conflict involved competition over the control of the mosque’s management committee.

The video in question was previously posted by the executive editor of News Live, a prominent news outlet based in Assam. The video and various corresponding reports substantiate that the skirmish was an internal issue. Despite the circulation of misleading information, fact-checkers have clarified the real circumstances around this incident.