FACT CHECK: Video of mob thrashing youth given false communal angle

CLAIM
A video in which a Muslim man named Shahrukh is being brutally thrashed is being widely shared with the claim that “a mob led by Hindutva leader Aastha Maa” beat him up just because he was carrying a razor-blade.
The video shows the mob shaving the youth's head on suspicion of theft.
Verified Twitter handle Hindutva Watch posted the video with a caption that reads, “Location: Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh Hindu far-right leader Aastha Maa and a mob accused a Muslim youth of theft.They then brutally thrashed the youth and shaved his head.”

The handle also posted a screengrab of “Aastha Maa boasting” about the incident on her Facebook profile.

Several other Twitter users (some of them carrying blue ticks), also posted the same video with similar claims.



Some Pakistan-based Twitter users also shared the video with the same claims.

Screengrabs of Aastha Maa’s Facebook post were also tweeted by other users along with this video.

A publication named The Hindustan Gazette also reported about this incident with the same claims.
TRUTH
The video is from Tila Mod police station area of Ghaziabad and is being given a false communal angle. The youth wasn’t beaten because of his Islamic religion. Both Muslim and Hindus were apprehended for thrashing the youth.
VERIFICATION AND METHODOLOGY
Under Hindutva Watch’s tweet, the verified Twitter handle of Police Commissionerate Ghaziabad @ghaziabadpolice posted a tweet giving clarification on the incident.

As per the tweet dated March 7, 2023, taking immediate cognizance of the viral video of some people beating and shaving a person on charges of theft, the police arrested Salman, Shahrukh, Anil, Jaikishan and Wajid in the matter. The police further stated that there was no communal motive or religious angle to the incident.
Local news outlet News7Noida reported about this development on March 7, 2023 in a post titled “Ghaziabad: Youth thrashed fiercely on suspicion of theft, then made bald with trimming machine, complains on Twitter ''.
In this matter, a complaint was made to the Ghaziabad Police on Twitter. Tila Mod police station immediately took cognizance of the video and arrested the accused Salman, Shahrukh, Anil, Jaikishan and Wajid, the report mentioned.
Media outlet Jagran reported about it and mentioned that the incident was from Garima Garden area in Ghaziabad and that the youth was beaten on suspicion of stealing Rs 100. The report confirmed that no religious sentiments were incited during the incident.
Quoting ACP Sahibabad, TV9 also mentioned that the incident involved no malicious targeting of any religion and community.
VERDICT
Times Fact Check has found that video of a Muslim youth being beaten on suspicion of theft is being shared with false communal claims.