On Sunday, the PTI news feed had reported that a retired army officer was ‘thrashed to death’ in Amethi. Soon it was spread widely that the veteran was ‘lynched’ to death.

Tehseen Poonawalla, the abusive Congress supporter and Robert Vadra’s relative, claimed that retired Army officer Amanullah was the latest victim of ‘mob lynching’ in Uttar Pradesh. He declared that it was the time to bring in “MaSuKa or Manav Suraksha Kanoon” which is the only way to stop the lynching.

Now #MobLynching in Amethi!

As per reports : A retired Army officer Amanullah is the latest victim of #MobLynchings in the state of UP!

Time to bring in #MaSuKa or Manav Suraksha Kanoon ..The only way to stop #Lynching — Tehseen Poonawalla (@tehseenp) July 28, 2019

Sitharam Yechury, the hero of Indian unemployed comrades, while enjoying his free time after losing relevance in Indian politics, also peddled the same fake news. He targetted the BJP for ‘fuelling hatred’ and ‘protecting’ them.

Lynchings of minorities in BJP ruled states continues with impunity. That the victim was a retired army officer only bears testimony to the level of hatred being fuelled by this political ideology where those responsible for punishing lynchers protect them https://t.co/pQq17NnnDt — Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) July 28, 2019

Ashish Joshi, a suspended bureaucrat who threatened AAP rebel leader Kapil Mishra in his personal capacity on an official letterhead, too tried to spread fake news regarding the death of an army officer by declaring it as a ‘mob lynching’ without even knowing the basic details of the case.

To@prasoonjoshi_@sonal_mansingh@imbhandarkar@ashokepandit & 58 other Malformed Souls You all need to introspect.

This happened today.

He was an Army Veteran Retired Army officer thrashed to death in Amethi, UP.

His name was Amanullah#StopLynchings https://t.co/lRMpD00TxL — Ashish Joshi (@acjoshi) July 28, 2019

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Congress trolls and supporters seem to have waited so long to take their vengeance against Smriti Irani for humiliating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

A Muslim retired Army Officer has been lynched by an unidentified mob in Amethi! – Smriti Irani effect? #StopLynchings https://t.co/g611G99BGx via @indiatoday — Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) July 28, 2019

Journalist Prashant Kanojia who had earlier equated Dalits to animals, also shared false propaganda on social media platforms to communalise the incident.

उत्तर प्रदेश के अमेठी में सेना से रिटायर्ड कैप्टेन अमानुल्लाह का मोब लीनचिंग होगया। अब सेना से प्यार नहीं है बस मुसलमानों से नफ़रत है। शुरुआत एहसान जाफरी से हुई अंत अब तुम्हारे घर होगा अगर अब आवाज़ न उठाई — Prashant Kanojia (PK) (@PJkanojia) July 28, 2019

The fake news phenomenon is not just limited to A-grade trolls and journalists. Even Islamists had an opportunity to be part of the propaganda.

Meanwhile in Yogi’s UP, Amethi. A retired Army Captain Amanullah beaten to death last night. He and his wife were attacked by unidentified assailants, he died on the spot. Reason behind attack is not known yet. pic.twitter.com/e3mOMl4g7O — Md Asif Khan‏‎‎‎‎‎‎ آصِف (@imMAK02) July 28, 2019

Being a retired armyman did not save Amanullah from being thrashed to death in Amethi. Being a dad of an airforce employee didn’t save Akhlaq from lynching. Being in the defence forces is no defence for a Muslim against mob violence. — Irena Akbar (@irenaakbar) July 28, 2019

However, truth is far from what the fearmongers are propagating. The 64-year-old retired Army captain Amanullah Khan was found dead in Amethi on Sunday.

He and his wife were attacked in their house by unidentified assailants during a robbery contrary to the claims that he was lynched for being a Muslim.

Amethi SP Rajesh Kumar: Deceased&his wife were sleeping in verandah of their newly-constructed house when some thieves came to steal road construction material of a contractor kept in a vacant area outside the house.He raised an alarm,thieves thrashed him to death. Some ppl held pic.twitter.com/XdmJwLuebU — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 28, 2019

The police have said that Captain Amanullah and his wife 58-year old Ameena were sleeping when they noticed some people picking up the scrap outside their house at Gordian Ka Purwa village around 2 am.

“When they objected and tried to alert other villagers, the assailants tied them up and started hitting Amanullah with sticks. An injury on the head proved fatal,” said Prahlad Singh, a police officer.

Rajesh Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Amethi said that the deceased and his wife were sleeping in verandah of their newly-constructed house when some thieves tried to steal road construction material of a contractor kept in a vacant area outside the house. As Amanullah raised an alarm, thieves thrashed him to death.

However, why would facts get into the way of propagandists who have an agenda?