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An old video is being falsely shared as ‘ULFA fire in protest against CAB’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 12, 2019
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) firing in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2019. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Video of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) firing in protest against Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
Fact: The video in the post is an old video. The same video is being shared for the last one year with different claims. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, many similar videos were found in the search results. The same video is being shared from the last year with different claims. While some claimed it to be related to Mexico, the others have posted that the video is related to Nagaland. Some claimed the video is related to a celebratory firing on the eve of New Year. The context of the video cannot be ascertained with the available information, but it can be concluded that it not a recent video. The same video can be found to be uploaded in January-2019 on YouTube. So, it is not related to any recent protests in Assam against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019.
To sum it up, an old video is being falsely shared as ‘ULFA fire in protest against CAB’.
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created: December 12, 2019


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An old video is being falsely shared as visuals of snowfall in Haryana - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 19, 2023
A widely circulated social media video claims that it shows visuals of snowfall in Haryana’s Barwala. In the video, one can see a road covered with some white snowlike matter. Let’s fact-check this claim.
Claim: The video shows visuals of snow-filled roads in Haryana’s Barwala.
Fact: There are no news reports of any snowfall in Barwala, Haryana, neither in the past nor currently. An extended version of the viral video is on the internet from March 2020. Dainik Bhaskar reported news of a Hailstorm in Haryana’s Barwala in March 2020. A photo in that report matches the visuals of the viral video. A few social media posts from March 2020 by a local journalist, media outlets etc., contain videos of the hailstorm that occurred around the same time. Contrary to the viral post’s claim, all these news reports or social media posts show a hailstorm but not a snowfall. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
To know more details about the alleged snowfall in Haryana’s Barwala, we performed a keyword search on the internet. We found an extended version of the viral video on a YouTube channel named ‘Pk Campus 007’ titled ‘Barwala by pass # hailstorm #full rain fall barwala news.‘ This video was uploaded on 14 March 2020.
We took a hint from the title and looked for news reports on this incident. Dainik Bhaskar Haryana uploaded a photo of their news report on 15 March 2020. The location in the photo matches with that of the viral video.
Google street view of the location also matches the location in the Dainik Bhaskar Photo. This evidence indicates that the video was indeed from 2020 and is of a hail storm that happened at that time.
A few social media posts by a local Journalist, a media outlet etc., uploaded on 14 March 2020, contain videos showing a hailstorm in Barwala, Haryana. Those videos can be watched here, here and here. Dainik Jagran also published another news on the effects the hailstorm on the local crop farms; this article was published on 17 March 2020. None of these reports mentions snow or snowfall. The viral post falsely claims the video of a hailstorm as snowfall.
To sum up, an old video of a hailstorm is being falsely shared as the visuals of snowfall in Haryana.

source: news-factly

created: January 19, 2023

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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An old video is being shared as a recent video of Police lathi-charge on the rioters in Delhi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 28, 2020
A video is being widely shared on Facebook with the claim that Delhi Police have started the cleansing process in the wake of the recent riots. In the video, a group of men rallying in a lane shouting out some slogans are being lathi-charged by the Police. Let’s check the claim made in the post.
Recent video of Police lathi-charge on the rioters in Delhi.
Fact: The video is found to exist on the internet at least since 20 December 2019. So, it is not related to the recent riots in Delhi. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
When the video was uploaded on ‘InVid’ plugin, many keyframes of it were obtained. On subjecting these keyframes to reverse image search technique, a certain keyframe was found in a YouTube video. The video had the timestamp– 20 December 2019 and title –  ‘बुलंदशहर में प्रदर्शन कर रहे लोगों पर लाठीचार्ज का वीडियो वायरल,उठ रहे सवाल’. Many other search results also suggested the video to be of ‘Police lathi-charge on the protestors in Bulandshahr (UP)’. Those results can be seen here and here.
When searched on Google with keywords, news reports were obtained that, on 20 December 2019, anti-CAA protests have turned violent in Bulandshahr after the protestors have set up police vehicles on fire. Those reports can be seen here and here. Even though the exact video wasn’t found in any of the credible media channels, it is found to exist much before the riots started in Delhi. So, it has nothing to do with the recent riots in Delhi.
To conclude, an old video is being shared as a recent video of Police lathi-charge on the rioters in Delhi.
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created: February 28, 2020


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An old video is being shared as ‘COVID-19 dead bodies in Mexico are being thrown into the sea’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 30, 2020
A video is being widely shared on Facebook claiming that it shows COVID-19 dead bodies in Mexico being thrown into the sea. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Video of COVID-19 dead bodies in Mexico being thrown into the sea.
Fact: The video was found to exist on the internet at least since July 2018. But the first COVID-19 case was reported in the world in China in December 2019. So the video is old and the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were subjected to reverse image search technique, the same video was found in the ‘imgur.com’ website. The video had the title ‘Skydiving out of the largest helicopter in use today, the Mi-26’ and had the date of upload as ‘25 July 2018’. Many search results were about ‘Paratroopers being released from Mi 26 helicopter’. Those results can be seen here, here and here. But FACTLY was unable to ascertain the exact context of the video. The first COVID-19 case was reported in the world in China in December 2019. So, as the video is found to exist prior to the reporting of the first COVID-19 case in the world, it can be concluded that the video has nothing to do with COVID-19 and the claim is false.
To sum it up, an old video is being shared as ‘COVID-19 dead bodies in Mexico are being thrown into the sea’.
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An old video is being shared as firefighters celebrating the recent rains in Australia. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 7, 2020
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it is finally raining in Australia. The post also claims that it might stop the Australian bushfires. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post
Video shows firefighters celebrating the recent rains in Australia.
Fact: The video is an old one. While it is true that there were some rains in Australia recently, the video was taken in November-2019. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On searching about the rains in Australia, it was found that it rained in Australia on Monday (i.e. January 6, 2020). But when the screenshots of the video were run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, the same video was found in an article published in November-2019. In the article, a link to the Facebook video uploaded by the ‘Leongatha Fire Brigade’ can be seen. So, the video is from Australia but it is not related to the recent rains.
To sum it up, an old video is being shared as firefighters celebrating the recent rains in Australia.
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created: January 7, 2020


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An old video is being shared as ‘incident in Delhi after the victory of AAP in the 2020 Delhi Elections’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 12, 2020
A post with a video is being widely shared on Facebook with the claim that the incident took place in Delhi after the victory of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the 2020 Delhi Elections. In the video, a few youngsters shout slogans against Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. Let’s analyze the authenticity of the claim made in the post.
People shout out slogans against Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and CAA after AAP victory in Delhi elections 2020.
Fact: The results of the 2020 Delhi Elections were declared on 11 February 2020, and AAP has emerged victorious in the elections. But, the video is found to exist on the internet at least since 21 January 2020. So, the claim is FALSE.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has declared the results of 2020 Delhi Assembly Elections on 11 February 2020 and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has emerged victorious winning 62 out of 70 seats.
When the video was uploaded on ‘InVid’ plugin, many keyframes of it were obtained. On subjecting those keyframes to Google reverse image search technique, a certain keyframe was obtained in a video on YouTube. The video had the title ‘Slogans against CAA at Delhi metro’ and was uploaded on 21 January 2020. But when searched more about the video, information from no credible source was found. As the video was found to exist prior to the declaration of Delhi Assembly Election results, it can be concluded that the claim about the video is false.
To summarize, an old video is being shared as ‘incident in Delhi after the victory of AAP in the 2020 Delhi Elections’.
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created: February 12, 2020


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An old video is being shared as Israel’s recent questioning of the UN about Jews in other countries - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 3, 2023
Recently, a video clip that shows an individual questioning the number of Jews in certain Arab countries is circulating on social media. “Today Israel took everyone’s pants off at the UN!” reads the post’s description.  The clip is accompanied statements calling for India to similarly question the number of Hindus in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. This fact-check article aims to check the veracity of this claim.
Claim: This video shows a recent confrontation wherein Israel exposed a report by Arab nations about the Jewish population in their countries.
Fact: The viral clip is an excerpt from a speech delivered by Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of UN Watch, during a UN Human Rights Council debate in March 2017. Thus, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
Our investigation into the viral video started with a basic keyword search on the internet, which led us to the full speech from which the viral clip was excerpted. The speech is available on the UN Watch’s YouTube Channel, Facebook page, and official website.
The video dates back to March 2017, of the UN Human Rights Council debate held under an agenda item targeting Israel. Several countries have expressed their perspectives on Israel’s alleged acts of terrorism against Palestinians.
Hillel Neuer, the executive director of UN Watch, provided a counter-narrative to these opinions starting at the timestamp of 2:43 in the clip. Neuer questioned a report by a commission on the population of Jews in countries like Egypt, Algeria, Syria, Iraq, and others. The viral video is a snippet of this section of Neuer’s speech.
The post accompanying the video misattributed Neuer’s speech to Israel and manipulated the timing of the event to make it appear recent.
To sum up, the viral video is an extract from a 2017 speech by Hillel Neuer of UN Watch, not a recent event involving Israel.

created: November 3, 2023


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An old video is being shared as ‘Rishi Kapoor with hospital staff on his last day’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 30, 2020
A video of Rishi Kapoor in the hospital with a man singing a song is being shared as that of his last day at the hospital before his death. The video shows a man singing the song ‘Tere Dard Se Dil Abaad Raha’ from the Rishi Kapoor starrer ‘Deewana’ movie. But, FACTLY has found the video to be at least two months old. The video is found to exist on the internet at least since 3 February 2020. Rishi Kapoor died of Leukemia on 30 April 2020 at the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. Earlier video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_2MrCr7JhY
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An Old video is being shared as the first murder by the Army in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 5, 2019
A news video related to the death of a person in Kashmir is being shared on Facebook claiming it to be the first murder by the Army in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 on 05 August 2019. Let’s try to check the veracity of the claim made in the post.
Lecturer Shabir Ahmed beaten to death by the Army in Kashmir after 5th August 2019.
Fact: The YouTube video shared in the post is actually uploaded on 19 August 2016. Hence the claim that lecturer Shabir Ahmed was beaten to death by the Army in Kashmir after 05 August 2019 is FALSE.
The video is being shared widely across Facebook currently. It has attracted more than 950 shares by the time this article is written.
When the timestamp of the ‘Times Now’ news video in the post is observed, it was found to be uploaded on 19 August 2016. So, the claim that the video shows about an incident that took place after 05 August 2019 isn’t true.
Hence, an old video is being shared as the first murder by the security forces in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
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created: September 5, 2019


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An old video is being shared as visuals of Taj hotel during the recent Mumbai rains - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 27, 2022
A video showing a heavily flooded street is being widely shared on social media attributing it to visuals near the Taj Mahal Hotel, Gateway of India amid the recent rains. Let’s verify the claim being made in the post.
Claim: Recent visuals of flooded streets near the Taj Hotel, Gateway to India.
Fact: The video is not related to the 2022 rains. The same video was uploaded on YouTube in 2021. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
After searching the internet with relevant keywords, we found a video on YouTube that shared similar visuals. The video’s title reads ‘Mumbai Rain, Gateway of India, Taj Hotel’, and it was uploaded to YouTube on 23 July 2021.
Further research also led us to another YouTube channel that posted the same video on 19 July 2021. Similar visuals of huge waves crashing on the Gateway of India are shared by multiple media outlets attributing them to Cyclone Tauktae. These reports can be seen here, here. All this indicates that the video is old and is not related to the recent rains and floods.
To sum it up, an old video is being shared as visuals of Taj hotel during the recent Mumbai rains.
Update (12 September 2022):Another video is also being shared attributing it to visuals near the Taj Mahal Hotel and Gateway of India during Mumbai rains in 2022. However, the same video was uploaded in the CNN-News18 YouTube channel on 17 May 2021, attributing it water flooding near Gateway of India as cyclone Tauktae wrecked havoc.


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An old video is being shared in the wake of recent communal violence in West Bengal - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 18, 2020
A video of two young people being attacked by a mob with sticks is being shared on social media in the wake of recent violence in West Bengal. But, FACTLY has found that the video is an old one and it is not related to any recent incident. The video is found to exist on social media at least since March 2019. FACTLY was unable to find the exact location and the context of the incident in the video. As it was found to exist since the last year, it can be concluded that it is in no way related to the recent violence in West Bengal. Recently, in the Hooghly district of the State,  violence erupted between Hindus & Muslims over a dispute regarding the usage of a public toilet during the lockdown.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1.    Old video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3cX2taV__Y
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An old video is being shared with a false narrative - ‘people excluded from Assam NRC list are forcefully being evicted’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 20, 2019
A post with a video is being widely shared on Facebook with the claim that it shows people excluded from the Assam NRC list being forcefully evicted out of their houses. Let’s analyze the authenticity of the claim in the post.
Video of people excluded from the Assam NRC list being forcefully evicted out of their houses
Fact: In 2017, as per a Guwahati High Court order, the Assam government has carried out an eviction drive in the area around Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary (Guwahati) as it was declared as an eco-sensitive zone (ECZ) by the Environment Ministry. The video in the post corresponds to an incident during that eviction drive. So, claim is FALSE.
The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is the list of Indian citizens in Assam. From the ‘DD News’ article, it was found that the final NRC list of Assam was published on 31 August 2019, and it had excluded 19 lakh people.
The video in the post had a watermark ‘DY365 Exclusive’. So, when searched on Facebook with that text, the official page of an Assamese News Channel ‘DY365’ was found. In the ‘videos’ section of that page, a longer version of this video was found. The video is posted in November 2017 and had the following description- ‘As the second day of eviction drive continues at Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary, an appalling incident took place at Kangkan Nagar. An angry protestor identified as Ismail Haque attacked a forest official with a sharp weapon amid the eviction. Security personnel jumped at him immediately and what followed next is…’.
From an article of ‘Wire’, it was found that, as per a Guwahati High Court order, the Assam government has carried out an eviction drive in the area around Amchang Wildlife Sanctuary as it was declared as an eco-sensitive zone (ECZ) by the Environment Ministry. So, the video in the post is related to an incident in 2017 and has nothing to do with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) Assam.
To sum it up, an old video is being shared with a false narrative – ‘people excluded from Assam NRC list are forcefully being evicted’.
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created: December 20, 2019


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An old video is falsely being shared as ‘Celebrations in Ayodhya after the SC verdict’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 11, 2019
A video is being shared on Facebook with the claim, ‘Celebrations in Ayodhya after Verdict on 9/11/19’. Let’s check the authenticity of that claim.
Video of Celebrations in Ayodhya on November 9, 2019, after the SC verdict.
Fact: The Supreme Court’s decision on the Ayodhya dispute came on 09 November 2019, but the same video was found on YouTube with the date of upload as June 21, 2018. So, the video is related to an event prior to the Ayodhya verdict. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
The Supreme Court has given the verdict in the Ayodhya case on November 9, 2019. But when the screenshots of the video in the post were subjected to Yandex reverse image search technique, the same video was found to exist on YouTube from last year. Those search results suggest that the video shows some celebrations related to Chhatrapati Shivaji in Maharashtra in June 2018. Also, by looking at the flags in the video, one can see Chhatrapati Shivaji’s face on them.
To conclude, an old video is being falsely shared as ‘Celebrations in Ayodhya after the SC verdict’.
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created: November 11, 2019


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An old video is falsely shared as ‘Shaheen Bagh paid-protestors fought among each other over money’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 23, 2020
A video is being widely shared on social media with a claim that it shows Shaheen Bagh paid-protestors fighting with each other over sharing of money. Let’s analyze the claim made in the post.
Shaheen Bagh paid-protestors fighting with each other over sharing of money.
Fact: At Shaheen Bagh, women are protesting against CAA since 15th December 2019. But, the video in the post is found to exist on the internet at least since January 2019. So, the video is at least a year-old and has no connection with the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
From the article of ‘Indian Express’, it can be found that women are holding a sit-in protest at Shaheen Bagh since 15th December 2019 against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
On subjecting the screenshots of the video to Google reverse image search technique, the same video was obtained in the search results. The video has the timestamp – ‘January 12, 2019’ and the title as ‘लखनऊ के चौक बाजार में आपस में गाड़ी टकराने से महिलाओं में हुई हाथापाई’. No additional information was found regarding the video. But, as the video is on the internet at least since January 2019, it can be ascertained that the video is in no way related to the ongoing Shaheen Bagh protests.
To conclude, an old video falsely shared as ‘Shaheen Bagh paid protestors fought among each other over money’.
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created: January 23, 2020


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An old video is falsely shared as visuals of women celebrating the victory of the BJP in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 8, 2023
A video of a few women having a feast is being shared with a claim that they are partying to celebrate the victory of the BJP in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections. Let’s verify the authenticity of this claim through this fact-check article.
Claim: Video shows women partying after the BJP won the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections 2023.
Fact: The 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections polling was held on 17 November 2023, and the results were declared on 3 December 2023. The viral video has been available on the internet since at least 23 October 2023, which means this video has nothing to do with the MP election results. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
To learn more details about the viral claim, we performed a reverse image search on a few of its keyframes. This search led us to several YouTube uploads (here and here) of the same video from October and November 2023.
This video uploaded on a YouTube channel named ‘Banjara Ashwitha’ was described as “Dasara Dawath”, which means a feast arranged to celebrate the Hindu festival Dasara. Dawat is an Urdu word which is popular in the Telangana region. This was uploaded on YouTube on 25 October 2023, and the results of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election were declared on 3 December 2023 (here and here).
We observed that the song in the background of this video is in Telugu, the language spoken in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Also, most of the videos on Ashwitha’s channel are in Telugu. Dasara was celebrated in 2023 on 23 October (here and here), and the video’s upload date is 25 October 2023. This could likely be a video shot during Dasara celebrations in Telangana.
Since the video predates the results of the MP election, which is being claimed as the context for the video, the claim is false.
To sum up, an old video is being shared as visuals of women celebrating the success of BJP in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh elections.

created: December 8, 2023


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An old video is falsely shared as ‘women being paid for participation in Shaheen Bagh protest’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 21, 2020
A post with a video is being widely shared on social media with a claim that it shows women being paid for their participation in Shaheen Bagh protests opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. Let’s analyze the claim made in the post.
Video of women being paid for their participation in Shaheen Bagh protests against CAA.
Fact: At Shaheen Bagh, women are protesting against CAA since 15th December 2019. But, the video in the post is found to exist on the internet at least since 2017. So, the video has no connection with the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
From the article of ‘Indian Express’, it can be found that women are holding a sit-in protest at Shaheen Bagh since 15th December 2019 against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
In the video, the women with Congress Party scarves and flags can be seen collecting money. So when searched on Google with keywords ‘Money distributed during Congress rally’, many search results were obtained. In the results, the same video was found. The video has the timestamp – ‘October 30, 2017’ and the title as ‘Congress Rally distribution of money’. No additional information was found regarding the video. But, as the video is on the internet at least since 2017 and hence it can be ascertained that the video is in no way connected to the ongoing Shaheen Bagh protests.
To conclude, an old video falsely shared as ‘women being paid for participation in Shaheen Bagh protest’
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created: January 21, 2020


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An old video is shared as a protest near Nawaz Sharif’s residence after Imran Khan's arrest. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 12, 2023
A video of a large crowd protesting in a street is being widely shared claiming that the visuals show protests in front of Pakistan’s former PM Nawaz Sharif’s residence against the arrest of Imran Khan. In the video, angry protesters can be seen waving Pakistan flags. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of protest in front of Nawaz Sharif’s house in London, against the arrest of Imran khan.
Fact: These visuals are related to an old protest carried out near Nawaz Sharif’s residence in London, following the ouster of Imran Khan in April 2022. According to latest reports, police have banned gatherings outside the London home of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, following the gathering of Imran Khan supports after his arrest. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
These visuals of protests were indeed carried out near former PM Nawaz Sharif’s house in London. However, the video is not recent but is related to demonstrations carried out in April 2022, when Imran Khan lost the trust vote in the Pakistan Parliament.
Google search with relevant keywords led us to a Pakistani news report dated 17 April 2022, which carried an image similar to a screen grab of the viral video. According to the article, the image shows protests carried by UK’s Pakistani community, outside Nawaz Sharif’s residence in London. These protests were organized in support of  Imran Khan, following his ouster in a no-confidence vote in the Pakistan Parliament.
Further, the report shared multiple visuals related to the protest shared by social media users. In one such tweet, a social media user shared a few more images similar to the visuals of the viral video. Comparison of image shared in this tweet with that of the viral visuals, confirms that both are related to the same protest.
Multiple news agencies have reported the protests near Nawaz Sharif’s residence in London, following Imran Khan’s ouster, these reports can be viewed here and here. Hence, these establish that the viral video is related to old protests after his party lost the no-confidence vote.
According to the latest reports, Police have banned gatherings outside the London home of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, following the gathering of Imran Khan supporters after his arrest.
To sum it up, old video is being shared as a protest near Nawaz Sharif’s residence after Imran Khan’s arrest.


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An old video is shared as Pakistani Taliban threatening India after recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 1, 2021
A video accompanied by a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that Pakistani Taliban is threatening India after the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. In the video, the person holding two guns could be heard threatening India. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video by Pakistani Taliban threatening India after recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
Fact: The video is from 2019. The person in the video is Said Kaber, General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party in Khyber district of Pakistan. There are no recent news reports of Pakistani Taliban threatening India after the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video, the same video was found on YouTube. The YouTube video was uploaded on 06 August 2019 with the title, ‘Tribal Pakhtun leader Sayed Kabir Afridi last warning to India.’ So, it is an old video and not related to recent developments in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
Taking the cue that the person in the video is named Syed Kabir Afridi, a Facebook post was found when searched on google with relevant keywords. The Facebook post published on 25 February 2019 had the same video saying that the tribal leader sent a message to Narendra Modi. Another similar video taken from a different angle was found on the same Facebook page.
According to the Facebook page, the full name of the person is Malik Said Kaber, General Secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Party in the Khyber district of Pakistan.
AajTak had reported about the same video on 14 September 2019 but linked it to the central government’s dilution of Article 370. The video was on social media since early 2019 but Article 370 was diluted in August 2019.
We could not find any recent news reports of the Pakistani Taliban threatening India after the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
To sum it up, an old video is shared as the Pakistani Taliban threatening India after the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

created: September 1, 2021


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An old video is shared falsely suggesting that Rahul Gandhi proposed replacing the Indian army with the Indian workforce - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 24, 2023
A video of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying that ‘if you use India’s labourers, farmers and workers you will not have to use Indian army and air force to protect India from China’ is being shared implying that he is suggesting replacing the Indian Army with weavers, farmers, and labourers. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Rahul Gandhi stated that the Indian Army could be replaced by workers, farmers, and laborers to protect India from China.
Fact: This video shows Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with the weaver community in Tamil Nadu on 24 January 2021. In his address, Rahul Gandhi implied that China’s transgressions on our borders were due to India’s economic vulnerability and suggested that by empowering the working class and strengthening our economy, China would be less likely to challenge India. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On performing a relevant keyword search regarding the claim made, we found a news article and a full version of Gandhi’s address on the Indian National Congress and Rahul Gandhi’s YouTube channel. It is the video of Rahul Gandhi’s interaction with the weaver community in Tamil Nadu on 24 January 2021.
We found that the video was trimmed at 36:29 to 36:54 timestamp and shared on social media. From the full video, we learned that Gandhi did not advocate for replacing India’s defence forces with workers, labourers, and farmers. Instead, he implied that China’s transgressions on our borders were due to India’s economic vulnerability. He suggested that by empowering the working class and strengthening our economy, China would be less likely to challenge us. He made these statements in the context of empowering India’s workers economically.
To sum up, an old video is being shared falsely suggesting that Rahul Gandhi proposed replacing the Indian army with workers, farmers, and weavers.

created: October 24, 2023


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An old video of a bridge collapse in Jammu is falsely shared linking it to Gujarat- Maharashtra - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 28, 2022
In the context of severe floods in Maharashtra, a video through a Facebook post is being shared widely on social media. The video shows a portion of a bridge collapsing into an overflowing stream. The post claims, “अक्कलकुवा   ते   अंकलेश्वर   पूल तुटला  “ (English translation: “ Akkalkuwa to Ankleshwar bridge brokedown”). Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of a collapsed bridge that connects Akkalkuwa (town in Maharashtra) to Ankleshwar (city in Gujarat).
Fact: This incident took place in Jammu’s Gadigarh area on 26 August 2020. Due to heavy rainfall in the region, the water level in the stream increased leading to the collapse of a large portion of the bridge. According to a local resident, the bridge is called Bablian bridge. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING
Reverse image search of the screenshots from the video led us to a 2020 Facebook post with the same video, but the description says, “A bridge in Dharap village on Jammu city’s outskirts collapses due to flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall.” Taking a cue from this, we searched the internet with relevant keywords and found several media agencies reporting the incident”. These reports can be seen here, here and here
#WATCH Jammu and Kashmir: A portion of a bridge in Jammu's Gadigarh area collapses, following heavy rainfall in the region. pic.twitter.com/MPwTGefF8D
According to these reports, A portion of a bridge in Jammu’s Gadigarh area collapsed, following heavy rainfall in the region. As per the visuals, the bridge is located on a stream. Due to heavy rainfall in the area, the water level in the stream increased leading to the collapse of a large portion of the bridge on 26 August 2020. According to a local resident, the bridge is called Bablian bridge.
To sum it up, 2020 visuals of a bridge collapse in Jammu & Kashmir is shared as a bridge that connects Maharashtra and Gujarat.


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An old video of a clash between two groups from the same religion is shared with a false communal angle - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 4, 2024
A video (here, here and here) circulating on social media shows a conflict between two individuals, with the accompanying claim that it shows a Muslim family being attacked. We fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: The video shows a recent incident where a Muslim family is being attacked in India.
Fact: The video in question is not recent and shows a 2020 incident in Uttar Pradesh. Both parties involved in the conflict were Muslim, and the conflict stemmed from their mutual issues. The local police at the time clarified these points when the video initially went viral. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
The authenticity of the video was verified by performing a reverse image search on a few of its keyframes. This search yielded an older post from 2020 with the same video, indicating the video is not from a recent event.
This video from UP Siddharthnagar will shake your heart. Everyday such incidents are happening in UP and the government remains mute spectator. The government is in a false propaganda mode and the culprits are unbridled. Yogiraj has become Jungle Raj. pic.twitter.com/LJTrQassQb
Underneath the 2020 video, Siddharth Nagar police commented, explaining the situation and the measures taken, including filing an FIR (here) against those involved. This information further confirmed the video’s origin and context.
संदर्भित प्रकरण में थाना इटवा पर सुसंगत धाराओं में अभियोग पंजीकृत कर 03 लोगों  को हिरासत में ले लिया गया है, अन्य आवश्यक अग्रिम कार्यवाही प्रचलित है । pic.twitter.com/mRBN18YHeF
When this video first went viral, it was shared with a claim (according to police) that it depicted individuals from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) assaulting a Muslim family. Siddharth Nagar police debunked this by clarifying that both parties involved in the conflict were from the Muslim community and the conflict was a result of internal issues between them. Even the FIR mentions both the accused and the victims as Muslim.
To sum up, the two groups in the viral video belong to the Muslim community.


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An old video of a crowded sleeper coach of Coromandel Express is shared now as a video taken on the day of Odisha train Mishap - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 6, 2023
A video of a railway coach jam-packed with passengers is circulating on social media, claiming that it depicts the state of the Coromandel Express involved in the freak train accident that occurred on 2 June 2023. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Visuals inside a sleeper coach of the Coromandel Express that met with an accident in Odisha’s Balasore on 2 June 2023.
Fact: Although this video was shot inside the Coromandel Express, it was not filmed on the day of the accident. It was filmed on 5 May 2023 by a passenger named Sidhant Kumar Panda. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
To investigate the viral video, we performed a keyword search on the internet using relevant keywords. This search led us to a tweet by a user named Sidhant Kumar Panda who tweeted the same video. Tagging the Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnav and several railway-related handles on Twitter, Sidhant posted this video to bring their attention to the situation inside a sleeper coach of the Coromandel Express.
This is the situation in 12841 Coromandel Express (Sleeper Coach). Please take necessary action. Everyone of us who has CNF seats are suffering a lot. My PNR 6318071331 @AshwiniVaishnaw @RailMinIndia @IRCTCofficial @RPF_INDIA pic.twitter.com/q2F6MmOWxy
In response to his tweet, on 5 May 2023, RailwaySeva, the official Twitter account for railway-related queries, requested Sidhant to provide details or write or call them.
We request you to please share Mobile No. with us preferably via DM. You may also raise your concern directly on https://t.co/JNjgaq11Jl or dial 139 for speedy redressal.
https://t.co/utEzIqAAkm
After the Coromandel Express met with an accident on 2 June 2023, Sidhant commented under the same tweet, thanking everyone concerned about his safety. He assured everybody that he was fine and that he travelled in the Coromandel Express a few days before the train was involved in the accident. All of this evidence clearly disproves the claim made in the viral post that the video shows the situation inside the Coromandel Express train involved in the tragic Odisha train crash.
I'm safe. I travelled through this train a few days back. I would like to thank everyone for their concern.
To sum up, the video being shared as the situation inside the Coromandel Express on the day of the Odisha train mishap is an old one.


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An old video of a demonstration held in London is being shared as a video of girls being auctioned in Afghanistan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 7, 2023
A video is being shared on social media claiming that it shows girls are being auctioned publicly in Afghanistan by the Taliban. Let’s fact-check this post through this article.
Claim: Visuals of girls being sold at public auctions in Afghanistan.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows footage of a performance in London in 2014. Kurdish protesters staged a demonstration to raise awareness about sex slave markets run by Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Iraq in 2014. This video is not related to the country of Afghanistan. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
A reverse image search of the screenshots of the video shared in the post revealed that a video containing the same scenes was shared by a YouTube user on 07 October 2017. The description of this video mentioned that it shows visuals of girls being auctioned in the city of London. Based on these details, we ran another search on the internet, which led us to an article published by the ‘BBC’ on 20 October 2014 sharing the video with these visuals. The article reports footage of Kurdish protesters in London demonstrating against the actions of Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists.
In 2014, ‘Newsweek’ published an article regarding this protest held in London. The article stated that the Kurdish protestors staged this demonstration to raise awareness about the sex slave markets run by the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Iraq. The article reports that Kurdish protesters staged a demonstration near Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament. The ‘Huffington Post’ news agency published an article on 16 October 2014 giving full details about this show.
The ‘Snopes’ published a fact-check article in 2016 regarding this protest that took place in the city of London. Based on these details, it can be concluded that the visuals from the video are visuals from an old demonstration in London.
To sum up, an old video of an anti-ISIS protest in London is being shared as a video showing girls being auctioned in Afghanistan.

created: November 7, 2023


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An old video of a freight train transporting JCBs is shared in the context of Rajasthan elections with a false claim. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 7, 2023
After BJP’s victory in the 2023 Rajasthan assembly elections, a video of a goods train carrying JCBs is doing the rounds on social media, claiming that a load of JCBs is being transported to Rajasthan from Uttar Pradesh. A post that shares this video says, “That’s Power of BJP party government.” Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: The viral video shows a load of JCBs being transported from Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan in a freight train after the BJP won the 2023 Rajasthan assembly elections.
Fact: This is an old November 2021 video uploaded online way before the November 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections. It was uploaded by a YouTuber named Mogili Gopi, who uploads videos related to the Indian Railways on his YouTube channel named “GopiRailworld”. Hence, the claim made in the post is Flase.
To learn more about the viral video, we performed a reverse image search on a few of its keyframes, leading us to the original full-length version of the viral video.
This video was uploaded to a YouTube channel named “GopiRailworld” on 26 November 2021, two years before the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections.
This video titled “Two Trains OVERTAKES BOMN Rake Freight Train | JCB’s on Train | WAP-7 Superb Acceleration | I R”, features a few clips of passenger and freight trains in action. The portion of the viral video can be seen at 3:23 seconds. The video describes this as a “Rare spotting of Rare spotting of JCBs on BOMN Train.” It identifies the locomotive of this train as WAG-9H 31395 BHILAI. NCR written of the train wagons indicate that this train belongs to the North-Central railways.
Other than this, the video or the description does not give away any details about the freight train’s starting point and destination. The video predates the 2023 Rajasthan assembly elections in which the BJP won, and the viral claim sets the time period of the video after the elections, which makes it clear that the viral claim is fake.
To sum up, this video does not show JCBs being transported from Uttar Pradesh to Rajasthan after the BJP won in the recently concluded 2023 Rajasthan assembly elections.

created: December 7, 2023


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An old video of a girl crying in Haldwani in 2023 is being shared as a recent one. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 14, 2024
Violence erupted in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after authorities began the demolition of a mosque and madrasa in the Banbhoolpura area on 8 February  2024 in an anti-encroachment drive. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami issued shoot-on-sight orders following reports of vandalism, stone pelting, and a police station being surrounded by a mob. Amid this, a video of a young girl crying and pleading not to be evicted from her home is widely circulated on social media platforms with the claim that the video is recent and from Haldwani after the recent violence. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video depicting a young girl crying and pleading not to be evicted from her home in Haldwani after the recent violence in February 2024.
Fact: This viral video is from Haldwani and dates back to January 2023. According to reports, after the Uttarakhand High Court issued orders for the eviction of over 4,500 homes in Haldwani in December 2022, this young girl was crying and pleading not to be evicted from her home while talking to the media. This video is not related to the recent Haldwani violence. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
To check the veracity of the viral video, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet, which led us to a X(Twitter) post Published by The Free Press Journal on 05 January 2023. The video was an exact match of the viral video and was shared with the caption ‘Little girl makes an emotional appeal to PM Narendra Modi not to demolish their houses in Haldwani’.
WATCH: Little girl makes an emotional appeal to PM #NarendraModi not to #demolish their houses in #Haldwani; 'where will we go to study?' She asks 👇https://t.co/m4lwqN4sHn@narendramodi @PMOIndia @mygovindia #Uttarakhand #HaldwaniProtest #Protest #HaldwaniEncroachment #Muslim pic.twitter.com/1S17dIPyAZ
Subsequently, we also found an X(Twitter) post by Brut India which carried the same video. Brut had credited the footage to journalist Ghazala Ahmad.
About 50,000 people near Haldwani station in Uttarakhand faced the threat of homelessness. But then the Supreme Court came to their rescue… pic.twitter.com/FYdHUvfd1G
We found the same video on the journalist Ghazala Ahmad’s X page with a longer version that carried statements from other residents of Haldwani. The video was shared on January 4, 2023. More reports featuring the same video can be seen here & here.
📌Ground Report from #Haldwani
Locals claim the HC’s move is politically motivated and is being done to reduce Muslim vote bank in the state. They say won't leave their homes even if they die, all hopes on the SC.
Full report for @TheClarionIndia 👇https://t.co/76ZhvHICg0 pic.twitter.com/DA5biE89j4
To know more information about this incident, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet and found several reports regarding the same (here & here). According to these reports, in December 2022, the Uttarakhand High Court issued orders for the eviction of over 4,500 homes in Haldwani.  Authorities were instructed to conduct anti-encroachment drives to remove houses allegedly constructed on land owned by the Railways. However, these eviction efforts were temporarily halted due to protests in the area and a stay order issued by the Supreme Court on 5 January 2023. The Supreme Court’s order emphasized, “There cannot be an uprooting of 50,000 people overnight. There needs to be a segregation of people who have no right to the land and a necessity for rehabilitation, recognizing the railways’ needs.”
To sum it up, an old video of a girl crying in Haldwani in 2023 is being shared as a recent one.

created: February 14, 2024


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An old video of a lion roaming in South Africa’s Sabi Sabi Reserve is being shared as a video shot in Assam - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 1, 2022
A video of a lion strolling at night is being shared through a social media post. The post description reads ‘ Lion in Bilbari of Kalkali in Karimganj district. There is tension in the area.’ Let’s fact-check this video through this article.
Claim: Visuals of a lion roaming in Bilbari of Kalkali in Karimganj district, Assam.
Fact: This video was originally filmed in South Africa’s Sabi Sabi private game reserve. It was uploaded on the Sabi Sabi Reserve’s YouTube channel on 27 October 2020. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Performing a keyword search on the internet to know if there were any news reports about the sighting of a lion in Assam did not fetch us any relevant information. Then we performed a reverse image search on the internet with a few screenshots from the viral video to find the source of the video, which the post claims was filmed in Assam. This search led us to an extended version of the viral video.
The description of the video reads, ‘Out of the darkness… one of the N’waswishaka male lions moves steadily about on a territorial patrol. What an incredible moment in time. Video by Matt Temperley’. It was uploaded on a verified channel named SabiSabiReserve on 27 October 2020. Sabi Sabi Reserve is a private game reserve located in South Africa.
To sum it up, an old video of a lion roaming in South Africa’s Sabi Sabi Reserve is being shared as a video shot in Assam.

created: November 1, 2022


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An old video of a mob attacking a Hindu temple is falsely linked to the ongoing farmers' protest. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 16, 2024
In the wake of the recent farmers’ unrest in Delhi, a post accompanying a video in which a mob is seen vandalising some shops & a temple is being shared with a claim that the video shows farmers attacking a temple. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Viral video shows farmers attacking a Hindu temple during the current farmers’ agitation in Delhi in 2024.
Fact: This video shows a clash between two groups in Patiala, Punjab, in 2022. On 29 April 2022, Shiv Sena supporters staged an anti-Khalistan rally in Patiala, Punjab. This video shows Khalistan supporters clashing with Shiv Sena supporters as the rally reached the Kali Mata temple in Manjeet Nagar, Patiala. Khalistan supporters also attacked the Kali Mata temple during the clash. However, this is not an incident in the context of the ongoing farmers’ protests. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
A reverse image search of the screenshots of the video revealed that a video containing similar visuals was published by a person named Avadhesh Parikh on his Facebook page on 29 April 2022. He claimed that the video shows Khalistan supporters attacking the Kali Mata temple in Patiala.
Based on this information, we further performed an internet search using appropriate keywords for more information on this incident. This search led us to several media reports (here, here & here) about this incident.
According to these reports, “On 29 April 2022, Shiv Sena supporters held an anti-Khalistan rally in Patiala. When the rally reached Kali Temple in Manjeet Nagar, Patiala, Shiv Sena supporters were attacked with knives and stones by Khalistan supporters.”
Also, on 29 April 2022, ANI posted a video of this incident on their X(Twitter) handle. Comparision of the viral video and the original video reported by the news agencies reveals that both show the same incident. Based on this, it can be confirmed that this viral video shows the scenes of the clash at the Kali Mata temple in Patiala in April 2022 and has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest in Delhi.
#WATCH | Punjab: A clash broke out between two groups near Kali Devi Mandir in Patiala today.
Police personnel deployed at the spot to maintain law and order situation. pic.twitter.com/yZv2vfAiT6
To sum up, a video of an attack on a Hindu temple on a different occasion in the past is being shared in connection with the ongoing farmers’ protest.

created: February 16, 2024


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An old video of a mob attacking the Haryana deputy speaker is falsely shared as an attack on BJP Sirsa candidate Ashok Tanwar - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2024
Multiple posts (here, here, here and here) accompanied by a video showing several people attacking a car are being widely shared across social media platforms. The claim accompanying the video suggests that it depicts a recent incident of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Sirsa candidate Ashok Tanwar’s car being attacked. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the posts.
Claim: Video depicting the convoy of BJP Sirsa candidate Ashok Tanwar being attacked by people.
Fact:  The viral video dates back to 2021 and depicts an attack on Haryana Deputy Speaker Gangwa’s car by protestors. Following the video’s circulation, Ashok Tanwar reported the matter to the police, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the Election Commission, urging legal action against those spreading fake news. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Upon careful observation of the viral video clip, we noticed that “Bharat News” and “PB News” are written in the top right corner. Using these clues, we conducted a relevant keyword search on YouTube. This search led us to a longer version (archived link) of the viral video uploaded on a channel named ‘Pahredar Bharat News’ on 11 July 2021, with the title: “Big news – Sirsa CDLU arrival proved costly for Deputy Speaker, farmers broke Ranbir Gangwa’s car” (translated from Hindi to English).
Further, we also found a video report by ‘Punjab Kesari Haryana’, dated 11 July 2021, showing similar visuals of an attack on Haryana deputy Speaker Gangwa’s car by protesting farmers. Based on all this information, it is evident that the viral video depicts an attack on Haryana Deputy Speaker Gangwa’s car by protestors in the year 2021.
To gather more information about this incident, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet that led us to several reports (here, here, here & here). According to these reports, Haryana Deputy Speaker Ranbir Gangwa’s car was allegedly attacked by farmers in July 2021. The reports mentioned that Ranbir Gangwa was in Sirsa to participate in a BJP executive committee meeting. Additionally, these reports highlighted that the protest was against the farm laws introduced by the central government at the time. Protesters attacked Gangwa’s vehicle as he was leaving after the meeting, smashing the rear windscreen with stones. The Sirsa police had booked around 100 people and arrested five individuals in connection with the case.
We also came across a video of Ashok Tanwar himself addressing the viral attack video on his X (Twitter), on 11 April 2024, where he said that he had reported to the police, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Election Commission to take legal action against those who were spreading fake news. He accused the Congress party’s youth wing, the National Students Union of India (NSUI), and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of spreading the video. News reports regarding this press meet can be seen here and here.
महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दे पर पत्रकार साथियों के साथ पत्रकार वार्ता https://t.co/uIN7QZDNh6
To sum up, a 2021 video showing protestors attacking the Haryana deputy speaker is falsely shared as an attack on BJP Sirsa candidate Ashok Tanwar.


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An Old video of a music festival organised by Israelis in the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron is shared with misleading assertions - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 17, 2023
A video depicting a group of people holding a music festival is being shared claiming that Israelis held a music festival inside the historic Ibrahimi Mosque in the Palestinian city of Hebron after prohibiting Palestinians from entering and praying inside. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: The video shows Israelis holding a music festival inside the historic Ibrahimi Mosque in the Palestinian city of Hebron after prohibiting Palestinians from entering and praying inside.
Fact: This video has been in circulation since 2022 and is not a recent one. The Hebron/ Ibrahimi Mosque was divided between Muslims and Jews. After the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre in 1994, ten days every year, Muslims get to take over the Jewish side, and ten days every year, Jews get to take over the Muslim side. Hebron’s website mentions holiday opening and closing schedules for the cave every year and mentions that this is done in coordination between the Muslim Waqf and the Israeli government. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On conducting a reverse image search using the keyframes from the video, we discovered two posts that share the same video with a common assertion on X (here and here). According to these posts, the video is from before the war and is being disseminated by disinformation agents. The post further suggests that the location in the video is the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron and that it is accessible to both Jews and non-Muslims for 10 days annually and this access is coordinated and planned in advance with the cooperation of the Waqf and the Palestinian Authority.
Taking a cue from these posts we conducted a relevant keyword search and found that this video has been in circulation since 2022 (here, here, and here). On subsequent research, we found that the Hebron/Ibrahimi Mosque is divided between Muslims and Jews. This division was implemented in 1994 after the Cave of the Patriarchs massacre. Ten days every year, Muslims get to take over the Jewish side, and ten days every year, Jews get to take over the Muslim side in order to prevent further tensions and conflicts between the two communities.
Further, we found Hebron website mentioning holiday opening and closing schedules for the cave (here and here). This arrangement is coordinated between the Muslim Waqf and the Israeli government with collaboration among the IDF, Waqf, and emergency services from both sides of the city. The website also features images from a music festival previously held in the Ibrahimi Mosque that closely resembles the visuals in the viral video.
To sum up, an old video of a music festival organised by Israelis in the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron is shared with misleading assertions.

created: November 17, 2023


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An old video of a protest in Haryana is being falsely shared as the latest video from Kashmir - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 29, 2019
A post with a video of some protesters being dragged by Police personnel from a protest site has gone viral on Facebook. The video is being shared with the claim that it shows the latest situation in Kashmir. Let’s check the authenticity of the claim made in the post.
Video shows the latest situation in Kashmir.
Fact: The video shows a protest by Junior Basic Training (JBT) teachers in Haryana. It has nothing to do with Jammu & Kashmir. Hence, the claim made in the post stands FALSE.
The person narrating about the incident in the video says that ‘the visuals show the JBT teachers being dragged at Karnal’. When searched with keywords, the search results were obtained about the Junior Basic Training (JBT) teachers protest in Haryana. Also, ‘Karnal’ was found to be a place in Haryana. At the -0:25 seconds in the video, a minibus can be seen with the text (in Hindi) ‘Haryana Police Karnal’ on it. So, clearly the video is from the state of Haryana and not Jammu & Kashmir as claimed in the post.
From the ‘Tribune’ article dated 6 June 2017, it was found that JBT teachers of Haryana state have gone on strike fearing loss of their jobs due to the revised merit list, issued on the directions of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
It can also be noted that the post was a live video made on Facebook. So the person could have played this old video on his device and recorded the same through Facebook live.
To conclude, an old video of a protest by JBT teachers in Haryana is being falsely shared as the latest live video of Kashmir.
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An old video of a scuffle between Indian & Chinese soldiers is shared in the context of recent border stand-off - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 4, 2020
A video of a scuffle between two different armies is being shared on social media with a claim that it is related to the recent India-China stand-off at the Ladakh border. FACTLY found the video to be old and not related to any recent incident. The video was telecasted by ‘Zee News’ channel on 25 August 2014. The channel reported that the Chinese troops have tried to destroy a border wall along the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. But the Indian forces had obstructed them. The complete video of the incident was telecasted by ‘India News’ on 24 August 2014. Both the news channels have not stated the exact time of occurrence of the incident in the video. Since the video was found to exist at least since 2014, it can be concluded that it is in no way related to the recent stand-off between India & China.
Sources:
Claim –
1. Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. News video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX6pfjBeMwk
2. News video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38EsW5XbGPc
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An old video of a Sikh gathering is shared linking it to the Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 7, 2024
A viral video shows Sikhs reciting hymns of Lord Ram, claiming that Hindus and Sikhs united to honour both Lord Ram and Guru Nanak Dev during the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. This article aims to fact-check the assertion in the video.
Claim: Sikhs reciting hymns of Lord Ram to honour both Lord Ram & Guru Nanak Dev during the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Fact: The video depicts a Sikh gathering organized by Akhand Kirtani Jatha in Mumbai on 2 February 2019. It predates the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which occurred on 22 January 2024. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Using a basic YouTube search with the keyword ‘Sikh Ram,’ we found a video featuring similar visuals, uploaded on April 8, 2020, on a channel named ‘Bhai Manpreet Singh Ji Kanpuri.’
The video’s caption indicated that it depicted the Annual Akhand Keerthan Samagam conducted in Mumbai on 2 February 2019. At the 40:15 minute mark of the video, it features visuals identical to those in the viral video.
Moreover, the video displayed the text ‘AKJ.Org.’ Following this clue, a YouTube search using relevant keywords directed us to a channel named ‘AKJ.Org,’ where the identical video was posted on 24 February 2019.
The channel’s description section states that the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (AKJ) is a gathering of Sikhs who assemble to sing hymns and prayers in the presence of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Therefore, these findings collectively indicate that the viral video predates the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, which occurred on 22 January 2024.
To summarize, an old video of a Sikh gathering is circulated linking it to Ayodhya Ram Temple’s consecration.

created: February 7, 2024


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An old video of a singer performing Gayatri Mantra at Holi celebrations is falsely linked to the swearing-in ceremony of the new PM of Pakistan. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 14, 2024
A video featuring a woman named Narodha Malini Sahiba singing the Gayatri Mantra is being widely shared on social media. The claim associated with the video is that it was recorded during the swearing-in ceremony of Shehbaz Sharif, the new Prime Minister of Pakistan, who took oath on 4 March 2024. This fact-check article will examine the claims made in this viral post.
Claim: The Gayatri Mantra was performed at the swearing-in ceremony of Shehbaz Sharif, the new PM of Pakistan on 04 March 2024.
Fact: This video is from an old Holi celebration in Pakistan in 2017, and is unrelated to the swearing-in ceremony of PM Shehbaz Sharif. Therefore, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
To determine the authenticity of the viral video, we conducted a keyword search on the internet, which led us to a series of news reports (here, here and here) from 2017 featuring the same video.
Reportedly, the woman in the video is a Pakistani singer named Narodha Malini, who performed the Gayatri Mantra during Holi celebrations in Pakistan. The then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, was present at the event, as can be seen in the video.
BBC News Hindi covered Narodha Malini’s story in 2017 following her performance at the event.
You can view the live coverage of Shehbaz Sharif’s swearing-in ceremony (here). Therefore, it becomes evident that the video in question is from an event unrelated to PM Shehbaz Sharif’s recent swearing-in.
To sum up, the video featuring the performance of Gayatri Mantra is from an old Holi celebration in Pakistan from 2017. It is not related to the swearing-in ceremony of Shehbaz Sharif, the new Prime Minister of Pakistan.


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An old video of a tractor negotiation is being falsely linked to the Delhi Chalo protest. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 23, 2024
A video is widely spreading on social media depicting a man persuading another individual to sit on a chair, surrounded by a group. The video has been claimed to show money being offered to farmers to participate in the ongoing Delhi Chalo farmers’ protest. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: This video shows a person persuading a farmer to join the Delhi Chalo farmers’ protest for a monthly payment of 35,000 rupees.
Fact: The video in question predates the ongoing Delhi Chalo farmers’ protest, which began on 13 February 2024. The individuals in the video are actually negotiating the price of a tractor deal. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
The credibility of the viral claim was assessed through a reverse image search using keyframes from the video. This led to several social media posts (here, here and here) from January 2024 containing a higher-resolution version of the viral clip. Descriptions of these videos indicate that they showcase a tractor deal negotiation, not a protest.
A post shared by JATTZBLIKE (@jattzblike)
Upon viewing the clearer version of the video, it became evident the individuals were discussing a tractor deal, not a protest.
Additionally, the Delhi Chalo protest, initiated by farmers, began on 13 February 2024 (here and here), and these videos were uploaded before this date. For instance, one Instagram post featuring this video dates back to 17 January 2024. This evidence confirms that the context of the viral video has been inaccurately associated with the ongoing farmers’ protest.
A post shared by Dandiwal jatt life (@dandiwal6904)
To sum up, the circulating video doesn’t pertain to the Delhi Chalo farmers’ protest but shows a tractor deal negotiation.

created: February 23, 2024


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An old video of Acharya Pramod Krishnam’s comments on caste-based reservations is shared as recent - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 30, 2024
A viral video featuring former Congress leader Pramod Krishnam stating “India should be free from caste-based reservations” during a public meeting is being shared on social media (here, here, and here) claiming that Narendra Modi’s dear friend Acharya Pramod Krishnam has announced that reservation will be abolished from India. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Narendra Modi’s dear friend Acharya Pramod Krishnam has announced that reservations will be abolished from India.
Fact: This speech was made by Pramod Krishnam on 26 September 2023 in Haridwar when he was a member of the Congress party. He clarified that the video was a year old and highlighted that numerous Congress leaders were currently sharing and commenting on it. He further clarified that he met Prime Minister Modi on 1 February 2024, and that his previous speech was being linked to the PM and used against him. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On conducting the reverse image search using the keyframes of the video, we found a full-length video uploaded on the BGT news YouTube channel. This speech was made by Pramod Krishnam on 26 September 2023 in Haridwar when he was a member of the Congress party.
In this speech, he stated “Leaders from certain castes often target us, particularly Brahmins. I propose that in the upcoming Maha Kumbh, we should advocate for a measure to eliminate discrimination based on religion, caste, and gender, as envisioned by Babasaheb Ambedkar in the Indian Constitution. Show your support by raising your hands if you agree. Let’s strive to free India’s democratic system and politics of casteism by proposing at the next Maha Kumbh that the country should move beyond caste-based reservations.”
Subsequent research led us to his recent Interview on ANI where he clarified that the video was a year old and highlighted that numerous Congress leaders were currently sharing and commenting on it. He further clarified that he met Prime Minister Modi on 1 February 2024, and that his previous speech was being linked to the PM and used against him. He stated, “The video is a year old, and only half of the speech is shown. Many Congress officials are now tweeting and making statements about it. I’ve heard that Rahul Gandhi has also commented on it. The truth is, that I met PM Modi on February 1, 2024, and this excerpt is from my statement in Haridwar. They are now trying to connect it to PM Modi and misrepresenting it. This speech of mine is from September 24, 2023, when I was with the Congress party, but now I am with PM Modi. I oppose casteism and untouchability. The propaganda and conspiracy being spread by the Congress will not benefit them.”
To sum up, an old video of Acharya Pramod’s comments on caste-based reservations is shared as recent.


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An old video of actor Prakash Raj criticizing the Congress party is being shared linking it to the upcoming 2023 Karnataka elections - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 9, 2023
Update (09 May 2023):
With respect to the 2023 state election, Prakash Raj has been critical of the ruling BJP on several occasions. Recently he took to Twitter asking the voters to bring down BJP. Through a series of tweets, he spoke against BJP (here & here).
Its my request… Bring down #BJP4Karnataka .. ensure THE END of this jokers .. 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 #ಬಿಜೆಪಿ_ಮುಕ್ತ_ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ವನ್ನು ನಿಜವಾಗಿಸಿ .. ಈ ವಿದೂಶಕರನ್ನು ಮುಗಿಸಿ ..ಕರ್ನಾಟಕವನ್ನು  ಕಾಪಾಡಿ 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 #justasking #KarnatakaAssemblyElections2023
Published (08 May 2023):
In the wake of the upcoming general elections to the Karnataka state assembly, a video of actor Prakash Raj criticizing the Congress party is being widely shared. This 13-second clip of Prakash Raj, wherein he can be heard saying ‘Don’t waste your on Congress’ is being shared as if it’s his message to the Karnataka voters before the 2023 elections. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video message of Prakash Raj asking not to waste vote on Congress in the 2023 Karnataka elections.
Fact: This is an old video, which he released during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in which he calls out on Congress party for spreading false propaganda that he is supporting the Congress in the election. He contested the 2019 election as an independent candidate and ended up in the third place. The video has nothing to do with the upcoming elections. Hence the claim made in the post is Misleading.
General elections to the Karnataka assembly are scheduled to be held on 10 May 2023 and the campaign is set to end today (08 May 2023). In this context, a video of actor Prakash Raj, criticizing the Congress party is being shared as if it is the latest video. However, it is an old video, released in 2019, during the Lok Sabha elections.
Google search with relevant keywords led us to the original and longer version of the viral shared by  Prakash Raj, through a tweet. In the video released on 17 April 2019, Prakash Raj takes a jibe at the Congress party for sharing a photograph of his shaking hands and Rizwan and spreading false propaganda that he is supporting the Congress party.
It is noteworthy that Prakash Raj contested from the Bangalore central constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, as an independent candidate and ended up only in the third place. P.C. Mohan from BJP won the seat over his nearest rival Rizwan Arshad of the Congress party.
Thus, this establishes that an excerpt from an old video of Prakash Raj criticizing the Congress party is edited out and linked to the current elections. Notably, Prakash Raj, a bitter critic of the BJP, has predicted a clear mandate for the Congress party in the upcoming elections.
To sum it up, an old video of actor Prakash Raj criticizing the Congress party is being shared linking it to the upcoming Karnataka elections.


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An old video of Akshay Kumar condemning the mass molestation of women in Bangalore is being shared linking it to Manipur incidents - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 24, 2023
Amidst the persisting violence in the northeastern state of Manipur, a video featuring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar denouncing the mistreatment of women is circulating on social media platforms, giving the impression that it is his response to the recent incident of two women being mob-molested in Manipur. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video featuring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar denouncing the recent incident of mistreatment of women in Manipur.
Fact: The viral video dates back to 2017, where Akshay Kumar condemns the mass molestation of women during the New Year celebrations in Bangalore. Despite Akshay Kumar tweeting against the recent incident in Manipur, it’s important to note that the viral video is unrelated to these recent events. Hence the claim made in the post is Misleading.
Following the emergence of a distressing video showing two Kuki women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur, numerous actors voiced their condemnation of the act. Among them, Akshay Kumar expressed his displeasure over the incident on Twitter, advocating for the harsh punishment of the culprits.
Shaken, disgusted to see the video of violence against women in Manipur. I hope the culprits get such a harsh punishment that no one ever thinks of doing a horrifying thing like this again.
However, we could not find any reports of him expressing his discontent over the Manipur incident, through a video message. The viral video, which has been circulating, is several years old and not connected to the recent incident reported in Manipur. In fact, in the viral video, Akshay Kumar refers to an incident of mistreatment of women in Bangalore.
Continuing our investigation, we came across an old tweet by Akshay Kumar in which he shared the now-viral video of him denouncing the incident of mass sexual assault on women during the New Year’s Eve celebration in Bangalore.
The Bangalore incident makes me feel we r evolving backwards,from humans to animals,rather beasts coz even animals are better!Truly shameful pic.twitter.com/FJwJ80Mkby
During the New Year’s Eve celebrations on 31 December 2016, numerous women reportedly experienced molestation by a large number of men in and around the junction of Brigade Road and M G Road (here & here). Subsequently, multiple Bollywood actors condemned the incident. The viral video in which Akshay Kumar is critical of the perpetrators is related to this incident. News articles that reported Akshay Kumar’s response to the incident can be read here and here.
To sum it up, an old video of Akshay Kumar condemning the mass molestation of women in Bangalore is being circulated linking it to Manipur incidents.


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An old video of Amit Shah's speech is shared as him saying PM Modi sleeps 24 hours a day for the welfare of the poor - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 12, 2022
A video is being circulated through a social media post in which Union Home Minister is alleged to be saying, ‘Modi Ji 24 ghanta sote hain ki des ke gareebon ka Kalyan ho,’ which translates to ‘Modi Ji sleeps for 24 hours for the welfare of the poor of the country.’ The same text is also written on the video in Hindi. Let’s fact-check this video through this article.
Claim: Home Minister Amith Shah said, ‘Modi Ji sleeps for 24 hours for the welfare of the poor of the country.’
Fact: This is a clipped video of a 2021 speech of Amit Shah at a public meeting in Chapra, West Bengal. In the original speech, Shah states that PM Modi thinks 24 hours a day for the welfare of the country’s poor, while Mamata Banerjee thinks 24 hours a day about her Nephew becoming the Chief Minister. Amit Shah saying ‘Sochte’ is being shared as him saying ‘Sothe’.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We searched the internet with relevant keywords and found that similar posts also went viral in 2021; the earliest one was from April 2021. Since the video in the viral post looks like Amit Shah’s speech at some meeting, we searched on the BJP’s official YouTube channel for his speeches from April 2021 and found the video in which he made these remarks, as seen in the viral video. The video was uploaded on 17th April 2021 and was titled ‘HM Shri Amit Shah addresses public meeting in Chapra, West Bengal.’ At 5:39, Sec. Amit Shah says, ‘Modi Ji 24 ghanta sochte hain ki des ke gareebon ka Kalyan ho.’ This translates to ‘Modi Ji thinks 24 hours for the welfare of the country’s poor‘. He then continues to say, ‘aur Didi 24 ghanta sothi hai, mera bhatija (Nephew) kab mukhyamantri bane…’, which translates to ‘Didi (Mamata Banerjee) thinks 24 hours a day about his Nephew becoming the CM’
Amit Shah saying ‘Sochte’ is being shared as him saying ‘Sothe’. The viral post only contains the part of Amit Shah’s speech while he speaks about Modi and cleverly cuts off the portion in which he speaks about Mamata Banerjee to make it look like he did say that Modi ‘sleeps’ 24hrs a day instead of ‘thinks’.
To sum up, an old video of Amit Shah’s speech is shared as him saying PM Modi sleeps 24 hours a day for the welfare of the poor.

created: September 12, 2022


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An old video of Amitabh Bachchan appreciating the staff of Nanavati hospital is being shared as a current video - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 13, 2020
Recently, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan has tested positive for COVID-19 and he was admitted to Nanavati hospital in Mumbai. In this context, a video has gone viral on social media claiming that the video was taken by Amitabh Bachchan after he was admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 treatment. In the video, Amitabh Bachchan applauds the work of doctors, nurses and health staff of Nanavati hospital during COVID-19. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Video of Amitabh Bachchan applauding doctors, nurses and health staff of Nanavati hospital after he was admitted for COVID-19 treatment.
Fact: Amitabh Bachchan has tested positive for COVID-19 on ‘11 July 2020’ and he was admitted to Nanavati hospital for treatment. But the viral video is found to exist on the internet at least since ‘April 2020’. So, the video was not taken after he was tested COVID-19 positive and admitted to Nanavati hospital. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On ‘11 July 2020’, Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek Bachchan were tested positive for COVID-19 and were admitted to Mumbai’s Nanavati hospital for treatment.
To know the details of the viral video, we subjected the screenshots of the video to reverse image search technique, the same video was found to be uploaded on YouTube. The video had the title ‘AMITABH BACHCHAN | SALUTE TO DOCTORS | NANAVATI HOSPITAL | CORONA WARRIORS | COVID 19 | INDIA’ and had the timestamp as ‘22 April 2020’. So, the video was not taken after he was tested COVID-19 positive and admitted to Nanavati hospital.
Nanavati hospital has also clarified that the video of Amitabh Bachchan acknowledging the efforts of health staff was taken in ‘April 2020’.
pic.twitter.com/zeuWZinEFf
To sum it up, video of Amitabh Bachchan applauding the efforts of health staff of Nanavati hospital was not taken after he was admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 treatment.
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An old video of an incident in Surat is being shared as the recent incident in Karnataka - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 3, 2023
A video of a few people vandalizing a blue bus is being shared on social media as the visuals of the recent incident in Karnataka. The post claims that Muslims attacked the bus because the driver didn’t stop the bus near her house when a Muslim woman asked him for it. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Muslims vandalized a bus in Karnataka as the driver didn’t stop the bus when a Muslim women asked him for it.
Fact: The incident took place during a rally against mob lynching in Surat in 2019. The viral video is of this incident where some Muslims pelted stones at buses on the road and destroyed them. So, the claim made in the post is False.
If you watch the video carefully, you can see ‘Sitilink’ written on the bus. Through keyword search, we found that Sitilink or Surat BRTS is a public bus transport system based in Surat, Gujarat.
Subsequent research led us to a video published by Divyang News Channel where similar scenes were revealed in June 2019 with the description, “Surat Police fire tear gas shells as a rally against mob lynching incidents turn violent.”
In 2019, some Muslims from the Versatile Minorities Forum (VMF) organized a rally in Surat against the mob lynching incidents in the country. As it turned violent, the police had to fire tear gas shells. News reports on the incident stated that five policemen were injured in the incident. Some news articles on this incident can be found (here, here, and here).
To sum up, an old video of an incident in Surat is being shared as the recent incident in Karnataka.

created: October 3, 2023


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An old video of an Israeli soldier talking about Gaza killings is being shared linking it to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 28, 2023
A video, circulating on social media, claims to show an Israeli soldier admitting to the killings he was involved in during the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict and discussing the psychological distress he is experiencing as a result. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim associated with the video.
Claim: Video of an Israeli soldier admitting to the killings he was involved in during the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Fact: The video dates back to 2015, wherein an Israeli soldier talks about his involvement in the Gaza Strip incidents and provided insights into the psychological distress he had been enduring as a consequence. The video is unrelated to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The video does depict an Israeli soldier discussing his involvement in incidents in the Gaza Strip, but it’s important to note that this video is not recent and is unrelated to the current Israel-Palestine conflict.
Conducting a reverse image search on the video’s screenshots led to the discovery of numerous 2015 reports that featured the same video (here & here). These reports identified the individual in the video as Ido Gal Razon, a former Israeli soldier. According to the reports, the video captured his testimony before the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, on 11 November 2015. During his testimony, he expressed regret for his involvement in the Gaza Strip incidents and provided insights into the psychological distress he had been enduring as a consequence.
Additionally, the soldier expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of treatment or support provided by the Israeli government. A few other articles reporting on this incident from 2015 can be viewed here, here, and here. Collectively, these sources confirm that the video is unrelated to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
To sum it up, an old video of an Israeli soldier talking about Gaza killings is being shared linking it to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict

created: October 28, 2023


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An old video of Arvind Kejriwal is being shared as if he is supporting Congress in the Jalandhar by-election - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 12, 2023
A 9-second video clip of Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal is being circulated with a claim that Kejriwal has appealed to vote for the Congress party in the Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-election. In the video, Kejriwal can be heard saying everybody should together vote for the Congress. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Aravind Kejriwal appealing to vote for Congress party in Jalandhar Lok Sabha by-election.
Fact: The viral video in question is an excerpt of Kejriwal’s message to voters that was delivered during the 2017 Punjab general elections and is being shared out of context. In the full video, Kejriwal appeals to vote for AAP in the general elections, by exposing the alleged BJP & Akali Dal plan to take on AAP. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat went for by-elections on 10 May 2023, along with the Karnataka State assembly general elections. According to the election commission, Jalandhar recorded a voter turnout of 54.5 percent. The seat fell vacant following the death of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary due to a cardiac arrest during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in January 2023.
It is in this context, the video of Kejriwal is being shared as if he is supporting Congress in this by-election. However, it is an old video that is being shared out of context.
An Internet search led us to the longer version of the video shared on Kejriwal’s official Facebook page in January 2017. Through this video message, Kejriwal appeals to vote for AAP in the general elections, by exposing the alleged BJP & Akali Dal plan to take on AAP.
In the video, Kejriwal can be heard saying “Reports are emerging of a door-to-door campaign by workers of the RSS and the Akali Dal, urging voters not to support the Akali Dal and the BJP in the upcoming election. Instead, they are advocating for a united vote in favour of the Congress party. There are widespread claims of individuals affiliated with the Akali Dal, RSS, and BJP switching their allegiance to the Congress party.”
In the later part of the video, he further adds ‘the actions of these political parties demonstrate a clear interconnection and shared goal to prevent the Aam Aadmi Party from winning the election and forming a government. This is likely because the Aam Aadmi Party’s victory could lead to the exposure of past corruption and can result in legal consequences for these other parties.’
From this video, it is evident that Kejriwal is appealing to vote for AAP, by alleging a nexus between other parties, and that an excerpt from this video is shared out of context. Later in February 2017, Kejriwal posted another video, in which he alleged that the Congress and Akali Dal were circulating an edited video of him ‘Appealing for votes in support of the Congress’.
To sum it up, an Ood video of Arvind Kejriwal is being shared as if he is supporting Congress in the Jalandhar by-election.


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An old video of BJP supporters vandalizing the party office in Bengal is falsely linked to the upcoming elections - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 8, 2024
A viral video allegedly showing individuals vandalizing the BJP office is being linked to the upcoming 2024 general elections (here, here & here). It is being shared with claims that it represents public dissatisfaction towards the BJP. In this article, let’s fact-check the authenticity of the assertion made in this claim.
Claim: Recent video of people vandalizing BJP office ahead of the 2024 general elections.
Fact: The visuals date back to March 2021, when BJP supporters in West Bengal’s Malda area vandalized the party office due to dissatisfaction with the distribution of party tickets. The video has nothing to do with the upcoming 2024 general elections. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The video does show vandalism in a BJP office; however, it’s important to note that the footage is not recent. It dates back to 2021, depicting an incident where BJP supporters in West Bengal attacked the party office due to dissatisfaction with the distribution of party tickets.
Using reverse image search on the screenshots from the video, we found a Bengali news article from March 2021 that featured the same visuals. According to this article, the individual identified in the video is Sagarika Sarkar, a BJP leader and member of the Malda district council. She, along with her supporters, allegedly vandalized the party office in Gazole, a municipality in the Malda district of West Bengal, due to dissatisfaction with the distribution of party tickets.
Further search yielded us a news video that reported the same viral visuals. According to this report, the footage depicts BJP workers in Malda vandalizing the party office due to issues related to ticket distribution.
Additional footage showing BJP workers vandalizing the party office in Malda due to dissatisfaction with candidate selection can be seen here, here & here. All these reports confirm that the video is unrelated to the upcoming 2024 general election and people seen in the video are not common citizens.
Previously, identical visuals were circulated with claims that BJP supporters were vandalizing their party office due to a lack of oxygen cylinders. However, this claim was debunked by FACTLY. A detailed fact-check of this claim can be viewed here.
To sum up, an old video of BJP supporters vandalizing the party office in West Bengal is falsely linked to the upcoming elections.


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An old 2018 video of Congress leader Sagheer Saeed Khan showing sympathy for terrorists is being recirculated during the ongoing elections - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 9, 2024
Amid the ongoing 2024 elections, a video has gained traction on social media featuring Congress leader Haji Sagheer Saeed Khan. In the video, he accuses the BJP of wrongly killing “innocent” people in Kashmir by labelling them as terrorists and promises compensation to their families should Congress come to power (here & here). Additionally, he pledges to release all those unjustly imprisoned under the guise of terrorism. The video is being shared with implications that these remarks were made recently during the ongoing 2024 general elections. This article will examine and verify the claims presented in the post.
Claim: Video of Congress leader Haji Sagheer Saeed Khan accusing the BJP of wrongly killing “innocent” people in Kashmir by labeling them as terrorists, promising compensation to them if Congress comes to power during the 2024 General elections.
Fact: Haji Sagheer Saeed Khan made these remarks in December 2018. The Congress party has distanced itself from his statements, back then. It’s important to note that this video is unrelated to the current 2024 general elections. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Haji Sagheer Saeed Khan did make the statements as described in the viral post. However, Khan made these remarks way back in 2018 and not during the current 2024 general elections.
A keyword search on YouTube led us to the original report by Republic World, which covered Sagheer Saeed Khan’s statements on 26 December 2018. According to the report, the Congress leader made these comments, expressing sympathy for terrorists and even promising them a cash reward should his party come to power. Additionally, Khan stated that if Congress were elected, families of those killed in the valley would receive compensation of one crore rupees and government jobs.
Several news outlets covered Khan’s statements at the time (here & here). These reports confirm that Sagheer Saeed Khan made these remarks in 2018 and not during the 2024 general elections.
At the time, Sagheer Saeed Khan’s comments sparked a political controversy, prompting the Congress party to distance itself from his remarks. According to reports, Ravinder Sharma, the then chief spokesperson for the J&K Congress, stated, “The Congress disowns and rejects Sagheer Saeed Khan’s statement. He is not a spokesperson for the party, nor does he have the authority to speak on such matters. We will recommend that our national leadership take action against him. We stand with our security forces in the fight against terrorism.”
The official Facebook page of the Indian National Congress – Jammu and Kashmir, shared a video message of Ravinder Sharma firmly rejecting Khan’s statements. The accompanying post quoted PCC Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Sharma as saying, “Haji Sagheer Saeed Khan had no authority to make any policy-related statements without consulting the JKPCC. Any such statements that contradict the established policy of the government are completely disowned and outright rejected. Further, appropriate action against him will be sought from the party’s minority department.”
To sum up, an old video featuring Congress leader Sagheer Saeed Khan expressing sympathy for terrorists is being circulated amidst the current 2024 general election cycle.


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An old video of cops removing the turban of a Sikh protestor is being shared with a false narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 26, 2019
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows Police catching a Muslim who dressed up as a Sikh and was protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Muslim man dressed as Sikh was caught by Police in the anti-CAA protests.
Fact: The video is related to an incident in 2011. The man dressed as a Sikh in the video is a Sikh, not Muslim. Two Punjab Police officials were suspended in 2011 for removing the protestor’s turban. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, the same video was found in the search results. The same video was uploaded on YouTube in March-2011 with the following title: ‘Sikh Youth’s turban removed 28 March 2011 @ Mohali Stadium Mohali Stadium by a Punjab Police’.
When searched with the relevant keywords, an article by ‘The Times of India’ on the incident can be found. In the article, it was found that two officers of Punjab police were suspended for allegedly removing the turban of a pharmacist-protestor during a rally by pharmacists of Punjab Rural Veterinary at the PCA stadium on March 28 (2011). In another article, it can read that ‘various Sikh bodies held protests on March 31, 2011 against the removal of the turban of a Sikh youth by the Punjab Police officials’. So, the man in the video is not a Muslim but Sikh.
To sum it up, an old video of cops removing the turban of a Sikh protestor is being shared with a false narrative.
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created: December 26, 2019


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An old video of Eid gathering in Haridwar is being shared as Muslims protesting against the UCC bill. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 9, 2024
The Uttarakhand Assembly passed the UCC Bill on 07 February 2023, becoming India’s first state to implement UCC (Uniform Civil Code), which presents common law for marriage, divorce, inheritance of property, etc. A post accompanying a video shows a large group of Muslims gathering on a road in front of a Mosque is widely circulating on social media platforms with the claim that the video depicts a rally taken by Muslims in Haridwar against UCC. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a rally taken out by Muslims in Haridwar against UCC (Uniform Civil Code).
Fact: This viral video shows a Muslim gathering celebrating Eid-Ul-Fitr in May 2022 in Jwalapur Eidgah, Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Furthermore, we also conducted a search on the internet to find information about any recent rally against the UCC in Haridwar. However, we did not come across any reports indicating the occurrence of such a rally. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To check the veracity of the viral video, we performed a reverse image search on the internet using a few of its keyframes, which led us to a video carrying the same visuals posted on X(Twitter) on 05 May 2022. The video was posted with the caption “View after offering namaz at Jwalapur Eidgah, Haridwar. Hari’s city became Allah’s, it is a matter to think about where the Muslims came from in Uttarakhand, the ancestors here were Hindu Brahmins, Hindu Rajputs or Hindu Harijans”. (On Translation from Hindi to English)
ज्वालापुर ईदगाह हरिद्वार में नमाज अदा करने के बाद का नजारा. हरि की नगरी अल्हा की बन गयी, सोचने वाली बात है उत्तराखंड मे मुसलमान कहाँ से आया यंहा के पूर्वज तो हिन्दू ब्रामण हिन्दू राजपूत या हिन्दू हरिजन थे @BJP4UK @pushkardhami @OfficeofDhami pic.twitter.com/SsjFfkKmP7
We also found another video carrying the same visuals posted on Facebook on 03 May 2022.
Taking a cue from the above sources, we geolocated the location of the Eidgah in Jwalapur, Haridwar, Uttarakhand using Google Maps. After comparing screenshots from the viral video with the street view image, we can conclude that the visuals in the viral video depict Eidgah in Jwalapur, Haridwar. Below is a comparison between the viral video and its corresponding location on Google Maps Street View.
Subsequently, we came across a local news bulletin on Facebook reporting the gathering of Muslims near Jwalapur Eidgah to celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr on 3 May 2022. From this information, it is evident that the viral video depicts a group of Muslims gathering in front of an Eidgah in May 2022 to celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr.
Furthermore, we also searched the internet to find information about any recent rally against the UCC in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. However, we did not come across any reports indicating the occurrence of such a rally in Haridwar. Indeed, if such a rally had taken place, the media would have reported it.
To sum it up, an old video of a Muslim gathering celebrating Eid-Ul-Fitr in May 2022 in Haridwar is being circulated with a false claim.

created: February 9, 2024