Fact-Check: Woman's Bruised Eye in Viral Pic Due to Accident, Not 'Love Jihad'

A viral photo collage circulating on social media shows a woman in two different images—one with a man, and another where she appears with a bruise around her right eye. The images were soon politicized by online right-wing users, who claimed that the woman was a Hindu who had married a Muslim and subsequently faced domestic violence.

Among the users spreading this narrative was verified handle @wokeflix_, who posted the collage while implying it was another case of "Love Jihad". That single post garnered over 150,000 views. A few other handles joined in, spreading the same false narrative on the platform.

Among the leading voices behind this misinformation was social media influencer Rishi Bagree. Known for frequently spreading propaganda, Bagree shared the collage with a sarcastic caption, saying, “She married Abbas to smash the Brahmin Patriarchy. Abbas started a separate war…”

Another verified user, @aruhirathod200, contributed to the narrative by calling the woman a Bangladeshi ‘Honda Sherni’, a mocking reference that appears to be a distorted take on the term ‘Hindu Sherni’—a derogatory jab often directed at women who are supposedly victims of “Love Jihad.” The post implied that the woman in question was a Bangladeshi Hindu, further misrepresenting her identity.

But a fact-check by Alt News brought to light that the allegations were completely unfounded. Adrita Azad Reety was the woman in the photos. On her Facebook page, she refuted the going viral misinformation and clarified that she was born a Muslim. Reety stated, “By birth, I am a Muslim. My father’s name is Md. Abul Kalam Azad and my mother’s name is Salma Sultana, which is clearly stated on my NID card.”

Reety’s National Identity Card, which is issued to all Bangladeshi citizens at the age of 18 by the Bangladesh Election Commission, confirms her Muslim background and citizenship. Alt News was also able to access her NID to verify these details independently.

The truth behind her injury, she explained, was far from the violent narrative being circulated. Reety had been involved in a road accident on April 17, when a boy skating on the street accidentally collided with her. His helmet hit her right eye, and there was resultant visible bruising. Her husband posted about what happened on her Facebook page on April 18, describing what happened and that she was recovering slowly.

Throughout her timeline, Reety went on posting screenshots and explanations of the spreading misinformation. She made several attempts to refute the false claims and pleaded with people to stop sharing untrue stories. In a comment on one of her posts, she also mentioned that a general diary entry had been made at the local police station regarding the incident and the subsequent online harassment.

Reety expressed her distress over the emotional toll this misinformation had taken on her and her husband. “I am physically very unwell,” she wrote. “My husband and I can no longer bear this mental pressure.”

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)