By Muslim Mirror Desk,

Bhopal: In continuation of the systematic pattern in which Muslim community in India is being defamed by media, the brutal rape of an 8-year old in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh in June 2018 is being given a brazenly communal spin.

Thousands of users are sharing a message, according to which members of the Muslim community rallied on the streets of Mandsaur demanding that the perpetrator of the crime be released because the Quran sanctions rape of non-Muslim women.

The message has been accompanied by a link to an article on a website  (www.indiaflare.com ). The article, published on July 1, has been shared over 16000 times till now.

The message has spread like wildfire on Facebook and Twitter.

Photographs are also being circulated which shows Muslim men marching in support of the accused. Leading fake news buster Alt News did a Google reverse image search and found that while the march did indeed take place in Mandsaur, but it was in support of the victim and against the accused.

The text on the placard which a Muslim man was holding during protest has been tampered with. The original text says, ‘नहीं सहेंगे बेटी पर वार , बंद करो ये अत्याचार ‘ (Wont tolerate attacks on daughters, stop this brutality). In the photoshopped image, this was deviously changed to ‘इरफ़ान को रिहा करो’ (Release Irfan). Not only the first placard, but also the text of the placard held by the person marching behind has been tampered with. ‘दरिंदे को फांसी दो ‘ (Hang the beast) has been changed to ‘रिहा करो ‘ (release him).

The article goes on to claim that no Muslim has descended the streets to ask for capital punishment for the accused, but have rallied in his favour, citing the Quran. It goes on to warn readers to not believe reports to the contrary which they may encounter on social media as they are untrue.

Contrary to this, Muslim groups in the region have strongly condemned the incident and demanded harsh penalty for the accused. Some groups have demanded death penalty for the alleged perpetrator and appealed to not allow his body to be lowered in any graveyard in Mandsaur or Neemuch.

(With inputs from Alt news)