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RT India, the Indian unit of Russian state controlled news media, shared a video a group of men forming a human pyramid to dismantle an idol of goddess Kali as part of tradition in West Bengal, with a false claim that a Hindu temple was attacked by an angry mob in Bangladesh.
BOOM found that the video is from Purba (East) Bardhaman district in West Bengal and the visuals captured in the video are not communal in nature.
A member of the Sultanpur Puja Committee in Purba Bardhaman clarified that the idol was dismantled as part of a tradition, on November 26, 2024.
The video shows men dismantling the head of a Kali idol as others in the background instruct ways to do it carefully.
Russian outlet RT India shared the video from its official X handle and wrote, "Hindu Temple Attacked in Bangladesh - Footage Claims to Show Mob Vandalising & Destroying Statue of Deity". The X post has since been deleted after users called out the tweet.
title="Latest and Breaking News on News Agency" />Click here to view the post and here for an archive.
Pro-Hindutva outlet Sudarshan News, posted the same video claiming that extremists in Bangladesh attacked a Hindu temple and destroyed an idol of Kali.
title="Latest and Breaking News on News Agency" />Click here to view the post and here for an archive.
Fact Check
BOOM ran a keyword search in Bengali and found an article published by Dainik Statesman on October 21, 2024. The report featured a photograph of an idol of goddess Kali with a background similar to the one visible in the viral video.
The article stated that the 600-year-old Kali Puja takes place in Sultanpur village in the Khandghosh block of Purba Bardhaman.
title="Latest and Breaking News on News Agency" />According to the report, the village's blacksmith community initiated the puja but later handed over the responsibility to the village's Mondal family. A committee has been formed with the people from the village and all families in the village partake in the puja and help carry out the rituals.
It further stated that a 12-ft Kali idol is regularly worshipped in the temple and the idol is immersed after every 12 years. This year, as per tradition, the idol will be immersed. The puja will then resume with a newly built idol, and the next immersion will occur after 12 years, according to the article.
A keyword search in Bengali about the Kali Puja in Sultanpur led us to a Facebook post featuring a similar video from the same incident.
title="Latest and Breaking News on News Agency" />Click here to view the post and here for an archive.
Mondal family follows 600-year-old tradition
BOOM then reached out to Debashish Mondal, a member of the Sultanpur Kali Puja committee. We sent him the viral video on WhatsApp. Mondal confirmed that the video shows their Kali idol immersion as per tradition, which occurred on November 26, 2024, and refuted any communal angle to the incident.
Mandal told BOOM, "Our Kali Puja is a few hundred years old. The idol is immersed in this manner after every 12 years. As the Kali idol is tall and cannot be taken out for immersion in one piece, we dismantle it. However, before dismantling the idol, its 'pranapratistha' is performed at a separate location."
He further explained, "according to legend, the goddess appeared in a dream and instructed the villagers to dismantle the idol in a similar way. The 'pranapratistha' is done in an earthen pot (ghot) before dismantling and later, the idol is immersed in the pond beside the temple."
Mondal also dismissed any communal angle to the incident. "This puja is performed by everyone in Sultanpur village. It has nothing to do with temple vandalism."
(This story was originally published by Boom, and republished by News Agency as part of the Shakti Collective)