UK’s Daily Mail carries a story plagiarising portions of Open’s feature ‘Mizoram’s Wild Flower’

In late August, OPEN magazine ran the extraordinary story, titled ‘Mizoram’s Wild Flower’, of a woman in Mizoram who is believed to have returned home after she went missing in a forest as a four-year-old. We are surprised to find that UK’s Daily Mail has carried a similar story, plagiarising portions of OPEN’s feature. [A cached copy of the Daily Mail story can be found here] Here, we present only the portions of the Daily Mail story that are direct lifts, ignoring those parts that have been more efficiently rephrased:

WHAT APPEARED IN OPEN

A day after the children went missing, there was heavy rainfall, which many thought a couple of four-year-olds would never survive. When Beirakhu was found, no one could understand what he spoke.

WHAT APPEARED IN DAILY MAIL

A day after the children went missing there was heavy rainstorm and many assumed a couple of four-year-olds would never survive. But when Beirakhu was found beside a stream, in a poor state but alive, hope resurfaced that they could find the still missing Chhaidy.

WHAT APPEARED IN OPEN

A day later, the boy recovered and spoke of a woman who found them, a woman who lived in the forest and gave them shelter and food at her house. But when the villagers took the boy to the spot, there was no sign of any woman or house.

WHAT APPEARED IN DAILY MAIL

After Beirakhu recovered he spoke of a woman who found and helped them. She lived in the forest and gave them shelter and food. But when the villagers took the boy back, there was no sign of any woman, house or Chhaidy.

WHAT APPEARED IN OPEN

She keeps her new possessions by a window. A bottle of metallic green nail polish, a plastic comb, tubes of moisturisers and fairness cream, and a maroon lipstick—all gifted by women in the village. When she wakes up every morning, she scrubs her face with cream, paints her nails—regardless of any grime underneath—and combs her long hair, which she has taken to tying with a hair band.

WHAT APPEARED IN DAILY MAIL

She keeps her gifts from her neighbours by a window – a bottle of metallic green nail polish, a plastic comb, tubes of moisturiser and lipstick.

When she wakes up every morning she scrubs her face with cream, paints her nails and combs her long hair, which she has taken to tying with a hair band.

WHAT APPEARED IN OPEN

Surprisingly, for someone believed to have lived in a forest away from human habitation and bereft of any social skills, Chhaidy is not shy of human interaction, although her expressions of fondness are childlike.

WHAT APPEARED IN DAILY MAIL

Surprisingly, for someone believed to have lived in a forest away from human habitation for 40 years, Chhaidy is not shy of human interaction, although she is very childlike.

WHAT APPEARED IN OPEN

Chhaidy, on the other hand, has received no medical or psychological attention. She spends her days moving from home to home, playing with anyone, young or old, who seems interested.

WHAT APPEARED IN DAILY MAIL

Since then she has received no medical or psychological attention. And she spends her days moving from neighbour to neighbour, playing with anyone, young or old.