On 9 December 2025, alleged fact-checker and founder of “AltNews” Mohammed Zubair shared a 1.06-minute video showing a street vendor being “bullied” into apologising and “physically and mentally assaulted” near the Brigade Parade Ground. Now this video of his has gone viral, prompting sharp reactions online. Zubair described the incident as an unprovoked attack on a “poor street vendor selling chicken patties,” alleging that he was “slapped, abused, and had his food thrown away” by attendees of a religious event addressed by Bageshwar Dham’s Dhirendra Shastri in Kolkata.
A disturbed by an incident that took place recently at Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground.
Programme was organised at Brigade Parade Ground by Bageshwar Dham’s Dhirendra Shastri. A poor street vendor selling chicken patties near the venue was physically and mentally assaulted by… pic.twitter.com/hx0lEPhxS5— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) December 9, 2025
However, netizens shared the longer version of the video which suggests additional context that was not mentioned in the initial post.
According to accounts shared by multiple eyewitnesses and local groups, the vendor identified as Sheikh Riyazul was reportedly questioned by a group of youths about whether the patties he was selling were vegetarian. Riyazul allegedly responded that the patties were “sabzi (vegetable)” patties. Those present claim that chicken pieces were later discovered inside the items, leading to a confrontation that escalated into violence.
LKFC Clipkatua @zoo_bear only showed video of chicken patties seller being beaten, not why he was beaten?
Name – Seikh Riyazul
Hindu youths first asked him is this veg?
Riyazul replied- yes, made using Sabzi (vegetables)
Later chicken chicken pieces were found.
Gita path… https://t.co/zH0o56bRA1 pic.twitter.com/OHfRbe3IUY
— Ankur Singh (@iAnkurSingh) December 10, 2025
The incident took place near the venue at a time when devotees were participating in a Gita Path recital in Kolkata, West Bengal, considered sacred by many attendees. Local sources said some participants felt deliberately misled and accused the vendor of selling non-vegetarian food while falsely labelling it as vegetarian.
The video clip posted by Zubair showed only the aftermath – the mob “assaulting” the vendor and throwing away his food but not the initial exchange regarding the patties.
The incident has reignited a larger debate about food labelling near religious gatherings, with some groups citing this as an example of why Kanwar Yatra organisers and other Hindu processions often demand that food stalls display the owner’s name and whether items sold are vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
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