For Indian journos, April 1 comes 10 months early
30 June 2008
Infallible Indian journalists have been spooked by a delightful Da
Vinci Code style hoax played on them.
On Sunday, almost every newspaper reported the arrest of Johann Bach,
an 88-year-old Nazi war criminal, in the jungles of Khanapur, close to
A classified advertisement inserted by the "Waffen SS" fugitive to
sell an 18th century piano was supposed to have led Perus Narkp
detectives to the "senior adjutant" who reportedly had a role in the
"extermination" of 12,000 Jews at the Marsha Tikash Whanaab
concentration camp in
# "Hitler's stormtrooper held in Karnataka," headlined Deccan Herald.
# "World War II criminal arrested?" asked The Hindu
# "Cops stunned over Nazi man's arrest," said The Times of India
# "Antique piano ad leads police to Nazi colonel near
the New Indian Express.
On Monday, the up-country papers went a step further.
# "Traced to
on way and flown to
# "
Telegraph,
the Nazi criminal.
Wanted by Interpol, octagenarian Bach, it was reported, had escaped
the
the German government's "Most wanted list" since the end of WW II, he
had spent time in
Apparently, the Israeli media had reported his sighting in Calungute,
knowledge. Hemant Nimbalkar,
was unaware of the incident.
But the papers said Bach had been picked up by detectives of
Narkp who are part of the German chancellor's "Core" team in
collaboration with Indian intelligence.
Anil Budur Lulla of The Telegraph "exclusively" reported that "
also had information from Tel Aviv that an old German had bragged
about overseeing the genocide of Jews to an Israeli tourist couple in
Deccan Herald quoted a press released issued by "Perus Narkp". Times
of
The Telegraph, quoting "sources", said that "after further
investigations in
Deccan Herald said he would "be facing trial at the International
Court of Justice at
And on and on it went.
Well, it turns out, it was all a super prank, obviously played by
someone with some taste in western classical music.
churumuri bravely deduces that it was played/devised by someone called
Bhawana Shakti Sharma or by someone who knows someone called Bhawana
Shakti Sharma, because it is an anagram of "Marsha Tikashi Whanaab".
"Bach" is obviously a bastardisation of Johann Sebastian Bach, with
the piano thrown in for good measure. "Perus Narkp" is an anagram of
"Super Prank".
Considering that the story has
sticks its neck out to declare that the "super prank" was played by a
Goan/ Goans who have had their axe for their local media for some time
now. Indeed, one Goan blog says "The Truth Behind Perus Narkp" will be
revealed tomorrow with the teasing tagline: "One of the most telling
stories on the Goan as well as Indian media."
Why the prank was played, is a long story.
Maybe to show how gullible journalists have become in this age of
instant news and even more instant analysis. Maybe to show how little
research and background checking goes into modern-day reporting
populated by greenhorns barely out of their teens. Maybe to show what
a bunch of cultural ignoramuses we are, with scarcely any knowledge of
music, Indian or western.
Or maybe to show how smart the prankster is.
Whatever the reason, it's a lovely prank for which all of us fell. We
have been had. Lie back and enjoy -- and spare a thought for those
stung by us.
Cross-posted on churumuri
Posted in A bit of fun, Newspapers | No Comments »
Tags: Bach, Da Vinci Code,
Express, The Hindu, The Telegraph, The Times of
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