Fact Check: BJD MLA candidate Pradip Kumar Amat did not end his life after facing defeat in polls

The 2024 general election marks a major political transformation in Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged victorious in the election, unseating the BJD (Biju Janata Dal) after 24 years in power. The BJP won 78 seats in the 147-member legislative assembly, achieving a clear majority. Meanwhile, the BJD managed to secure only 51 seats. Among the prominent BJD candidates, some who have served as ministers for a year were also defeated by a huge margin.

In this backdrop, an image that looks like a newspaper clipping with the watermark and layout of Prameya Odia newspaper is in circulation. In the clipping, which contains Odia text, there is a photograph of senior BJD leader and former Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat. According to the headline of the viral paper clip, “Pradip Amat ended his life by jumping into a well.”

We also found the text published in the article in Odia language “ ବୌଦ୍ଧ ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ପୂର୍ବତନ ବିଧାୟକ ପ୍ରଦୀପ କୁମାର ଅମାତ ୨୦୨ १०१४ ନିର୍ବାଚନରେ ହାରିବା ପରେ ଲୋକ ଲଜ୍ୟାରେ କୂଅକୁ ଡେଇଁ ପଡ଼ିଲେ। ଆପଣ ଠିକ୍ ଶୁଣିଛନ୍ତି ପ୍ରଦୀପ କୁମାର ଅମାତ ୨୦୨୪ ନିର୍ବାଚନରେ ବିଜେପିର ପ୍ରାର୍ଥୀ ସରୋଜ କୁମାର ପ୍ରଧାନଙ୍କ ଠାରୁ ହାରିବା ପରେ ଆଜି ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟା ୫ଟା.୩୦ ମିନିଟରେ ବାରିପଟରେଥ‌ିବା କୂଅକୁ ଦେଇପଡ଼ିଲେ। ବହୁ କଷ୍ଟରେ ତାଙ୍କୁ କୂଅରୁ ବାହାରକରି ଆମ୍ବୁଲାନ୍ସ ଯୋଗେ ବୌଦ୍ଧ ଜିଲ୍ଲା ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଚିକିତ୍ସାଳୟକୁ ନିଆଯାଇଥିଲା । ଡାକ୍ତର ସେଠାରେ ତାକୁ ମୃତ ଘୋଷଣା କରିଥିଲେ। ଏ ନେଇ ବୌଦ୍ଧ ପୋଲିସ ଅପମୃତ୍ଯୁ ମାମଲା ରଜୁ କରିଥିବା ଜଣାପଡିଛି ।

When we translated it to English, it reads: “After losing the 2024 elections, Pradeep Kumar Amat, BJD MLA candidate of Boudh constituency, jumped into a well out of shame. After losing to BJP candidate Saroj Kumar Pradhan in the elections, Pradeep Kumar Amat jumped into a well around 5:30 pm. With great difficulty, he was rescued from the well and taken in an ambulance to the Boudh district hospital. The doctors there declared him dead. It is known that the Boudh police have registered a case of unnatural death”.

Social media users shared the clipping with the caption “କୂଅକୁ ଡେଇଁପଡିଲେ ପ୍ରଦୀପ ଅମାତ....”, which in English means “Pradip Amat Jumped in to a well”. 

Fact Check: After careful observation of the newspaper clip, we found the claim is False, On June 4, no such article was published by Prameya newspaper.

When we searched for the June 4, 2024 newspaper Prameya, we could not find any news related to the viral topic.

After performing Google reverse image search, we found on June 5, 2024, a detailed article published by Prameya where it was mentioned that the viral post is fake.

We also found senior crime reporter of Prameya newspaper Mr Dilip Kumar Rout share this paper clip on his social media handle with a caption “ଏହି ଖବରଟି ମିଛ । କେହି ଅସାମାଜିକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ପ୍ରମେୟ ଲୋଗକୁ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରି ମିଛ ଖବର ସୋସିଆଲ ମିଡିଆରେ ସେୟାର କରୁଛନ୍ତି” ।

When translated to English, it reads: “this article is totally fake, someone spread this false information by using Prameya logo & watermark”.

Furthermore, we found on June 6, 2024, Prameya published an article that the organization filed an FIR in the cyber cell.

Surendra Patra, a senior journalist from Odisha, posted on his social media handle that a close friend of Pradeep Amat informed him that Amat is fine and alive. He also requested everyone not to believe the circulated paper clip.

Hence, it is proven that the viral paper clip is false. Prameya did not publish the article about BJD leader Pradeep Kumar Amat. Additionally, Amat is fine and well.