In the wake of the recent tragic incidents at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, false claims have been circulating on social media regarding the rape and murder of a girl named Ankita Bauri, a student of Burdwan University. According to these claims, Ankita was allegedly assaulted and killed while returning home from a protest on the night of August 14-15, 2024. The protest was reportedly against the horrific rape and murder of a doctor at the hospital.
Viral Social Media Claims
Several users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook shared posts asserting that Ankita Bauri was brutally raped and murdered, with her face smashed with a stone to make her unrecognizable. These posts quickly went viral, gaining significant traction and stirring emotions across social media.
Fact-Checking the Claims
Upon investigation, Alt News, a fact-checking organization, found that the claims regarding Ankita Bauri were entirely fabricated. There is no evidence or official reports to support the existence of a student named Ankita Bauri who was raped and murdered in Burdwan or any related incidents.
The confusion appears to have stemmed from a real incident involving the murder of a 25-year-old tribal woman named Priyanka Hansda, who was a postgraduate student of Philosophy at Burdwan University. Priyanka was tragically found dead with her throat slit in a farmland in Nandur village, Burdwan, on the night of August 14-15. Initially, there were suspicions of sexual assault, but the East Burdwan police clarified that the autopsy showed no evidence of rape.
Official Response and Clarification
The official X handle of Purba Bardhaman (East Burdwan) Police categorically denied the claims about Ankita Bauri. The police warned against spreading such rumors and confirmed that no such incident involving a girl named Ankita Bauri had occurred in Burdwan.
Moreover, the East Burdwan District Police issued a statement on their official Facebook page, reiterating that the viral claims were false and that legal action would be taken against those spreading misinformation.
The story of Ankita Bauri being raped and murdered while returning from a protest is baseless and fabricated. The only verified incident in the region was the tragic murder of Priyanka Hansda, which, though horrific, did not involve rape, according to the autopsy report. Social media users are urged to verify the authenticity of such claims before sharing them to prevent the spread of misinformation.