Fact check: Truth behind viral video of K'taka cop kicking civilian in Belagavi [read now]

Police brutality is frowned upon, no matter which part of the world you're in. Instances of police using force on civilians aren't new in India, which puts law enforcement under the lens and criticism of the public. As another video of a Karnataka cop kicking a civilian went viral on social media, people jumped to conclusions — only to realize their mistake later.

The claim

A video of a Karnataka police officer brutally assaulting a civilian has been making the rounds on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The footage is from Ranichennamma circle of Belagavi city, where a police officer in his khaki uniform is seen assaulting, pushing and kicking a man, who appears to be a civilian. In the video, a traffic cop can also be seen standing at a distance, vehicles passing by and the public watching the person in police uniform assault another person.

The video has been shared widely and the city police faced backlash over the alleged incident. Many criticised the cops and questioned the free hand given to the police.

Fact check

International Business Times watched the viral clip of Belagavi and unearthed a twist to the incident. The Karnataka State Police fact-check team shed light on the incident and confirmed that no such brutality took place in Belagavi.

In fact, the official statement clarified that the incident is being shared with false context as it was originally from a film shooting.

"This video of a police officer assaulting a person in Ranichennamma circle of Belagavi city is from the newly shooting Kannada film 'Hoysala'. It has been observed that the footage of the film is being misinterpreted and people are expressing negative views about the police department on social media. The video is not an actual event. So requesting the public not to share the video. Belgaum City Police has already given a clarification in this regard, which is given below and the public is requested to take note," the Karnataka State Police Fact Check team explained.

Hence, IBTimes has arrived at the conclusion that the video of a police officer assaulting a civilian is not real.