Fact Check: Images of prosthetic fingers is from Japan and not related to India or 2024 general elections
The second phase of the voting for the 18th Lok Sabha elections will be held on Friday, April 26, while the first phase was held on April 19, which saw approximately 64% voter turnout.
Claim :
Prosthetic fingers are being made to cast fake votes in West Bengal for the upcoming electionsFact :
The image shows prosthetic fingers from Japan, created by a prosthetic artist and used by the Japanese mafia
The second phase of the voting for the 18th Lok Sabha elections will be held on Friday, April 26, while the first phase was held on April 19, which saw approximately 64% voter turnout. The second phase of the voting is set to witness polls in 89 constituencies in 13 states and Union territories (UT).
In this context, many social media users shared a couple of images showing prosthetic fingers with the claim that they are being manufactured to cast fake votes during the elections. The users shared that these fingers were being made in Bengal.
The images were shared with Bengali text that goes “ভোটে কারচুপির জন্য নকল আঙ্গুল:
জাল ভোট দেওয়ার জন্য নকল আঙ্গুল তৈরি হচ্ছে। আঙ্গুল তো নয় আঙ্গুলের খোলস। আঙ্গুল পরে নিলে বুঝাই যাবে না সেটি আসল না নকল। ভোটগ্রহণ কর্মীরা ওই আঙ্গুলে কালি মাখিয়ে বোকা বনে যেতে পারেন। দেশের কি হাল দেখুন “
When translated, it claims: “Fake fingers for vote rigging: Fake fingers are being created to cast fake votes. Fingers are not finger shells. You can’t tell if its real or fake. Polling workers can get fooled during the polling. See how the country is doing”.
The images had been in circulation in 2019 too when general elections were held last time, with similar claims.
The image is also viral on WhatsApp.
Fact Check:
The claim is False. The images are not from India.
With a reverse image search, we found that the images were old and had been shared by a few articles on news websites.
A website named deceptology.com shared the images in an article named “How fake pinkies help Japanese Gangsters”. The article shares details of a doctor who makes silicone body parts for patients with breast cancer, or legs and arms for those injured in serious accidents.
The article published on the ABC News website in June 2013 states that in Japan, a stunted pinkie signifies membership in the yakuza, or Japanese mafia. In a ritual known as "yubitsume," yakuza members are required to chop off their own digits to atone for serious offenses. The left pinkie (what is this? I am not able to understand) is usually the first to go, though repeated offenses call for further severing. As a result, those who get out, have a hard time finding work because of the stigma attached to those missing fingers.
That's where Hayashi comes in. Shintaro Hayashi, the doctor moulds silicone prosthetic pinkies, made to seamlessly mask the amputation, making for a smoother transition to the outside world. Priced at nearly $3,000 each, the fingers are carefully painted, to match the exact skin color of the client. Former yakuza members, who make up 5 per cent of Hayashi's business, often keep several sets of fingers for different seasons – the light skinned version for winter, and a tanned look for summer.
Therefore, the images of prosthetic fingers prepared for Japanese ex-mafia members are being shared with a false claim. It does not show fake fingers from India made for the purpose of fake voting during the elections. The claim is False.
