Fact Check: Reports of an Indian Army soldier assaulted by a group of people in Kerala are FABRICATED

Several news outlets shared reports of an Indian Army soldier in Kadakkal, Kerala allegedly assaulted by a group of people. The Army jawan claimed he was "attacked" by 5-6 people in Kollam, who allegedly painted the letters 'PFI' on his back. ("PFI" - short for Popular Front of India is a banned Islamist organization.)

News outlets such as ANI, Times Now, Hindustan Times and India Today reported that in his complaint, the Army soldier, identified as Shine Kumar, said he was attacked by a group of six men in a rubber forest next to his house in Kadakkal. They tied up his hands with tape, and wrote PFI on his back with green paint.

FACT CHECK:

A report by Mathrubhumi, mentioned that the incident was found to be fake and two people had been arrested in connection to the incident. Shine Kumar, along with his friend Joshi, had fabricated the attack to gain popularity. Joshi confessed to the officers that Kumar tore off his T-shirt and later made him write ‘PFI’ on his back with green paint while in an inebriated state. He added that the act was committed to gain fame.

Shine Kumar had staged the assault, admitted himself in the Kadakkal Taluk Hospital and filed a police complaint alleging that he was assaulted by a group of men. However, on further investigation, the police uncovered discrepancies in Shine’s version of the story. When questioned, Joshi confessed saying Shine called him to his house and asked him to write ‘PFI’ on his back and later asked him to hit Shine.

“Then he asked me to hit him. But I was drunk and I said I cannot do that. Then he gave me a blade and asked me to tear the backside of his t-shirt. He then lay down on the ground and asked me if I could drag him. But I couldn’t do that either. So he stuck tape to his mouth and hands, and asked me to leave. When I asked him why he was doing this, he said he wanted to become famous, but I didn’t understand what he meant by that,” he said. ( Read more here and here)

The same was confirmed by the Additional Superintendent of Police, Kollam Rural,R. Prathapan Nair. He said that the complaint filed was fake and police suspect that this was planned with the intention of gaining national attention.

"Police have arrested the accused soldier and his friend. The complaint of the Army personnel is fake, and it appears that he had orchestrated this deceitful act with the intention of gaining national attention and securing a better job opportunity. Both individuals will be produced before the court today itself," Nair said. (Read more here)

Evidently, the news of an Indian Army soldier from Kerala assaulted by a group of people is fake.