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These viral pictures of Sania Mirza with her son Izhaan are old and have no connection to Sania's return to India after divorce. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 5, 2024
Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik were married in the year 2010, and they had a son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, in 2018. Recently, Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik announced their divorce. For the past few days, the news of their divorce has remained at the center of headlines. Meanwhile, a post accompanying a collage of pictures showing Sania Mirza holding her son Izhaan in her lap is being widely circulated on social media platforms with the claim that Sania Mirza has returned to India with her son Izhaan after getting divorced from Shoaib Malik. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Pictures of Sania Mirza at Mumbai airport show her returning to India with her son Izhaan after getting divorced from Shoaib Malik.
Fact: These pictures are not recent; they are from the year 2019. These pictures have nothing to do with Sania’s divorce or her return to India. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
To check the veracity of the viral claim, we performed a reverse image search using Google image search which led us to a News report published by mid-day on 23 October 2019 with the title, “Sania Mirza lovingly carries 11-month-old son Izhaan in her arms at Mumbai airport”. This news report published the exact same pictures that are being shared along with the viral claim.
Also, Sania’s Son Izhaan is now 5 years old. He turned five on 30 October 2023. Sania and Shoaib had a mini pre-birthday celebration in Dubai. We also verified Sania Mirza’s Twitter and Instagram regarding viral Pictures and the claim, but we didn’t find any of the viral images on her social media. However, according to a report by Bollywood Life, Sania Mirza is currently in India with her son Izhaan. From all this information, it is evident that the viral images are old and were taken in 2019.
To sum it up, the viral pictures of Sania Mirza with her son Izhaan are old and have no connection to Sania’s return to India after divorce.

created: February 5, 2024


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These visuals are not related to the recent plane crash in China/Nepal - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 25, 2022
Update (19 January 2023):
Another post sharing the same video claimed that it shows Nepal airplane. The video is being shared in the context of recent Nepal plane crash near Pokhara airport. However, as explained below, the video shows Russian Aeroflot plane at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport that caught fire after a crash landing on 05 May 2019.
Videos of planes on fire and of massive fires are being shared through posts (here and here) claiming that those visuals are from the recent plane crash in China. A Boeing 737-800, which had 132 people on board, crashed in a mountainous area of southern China recently. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of the recent China plane crash.
Fact: In the first video, the plane which is on fire is the Russian Aeroflot plane at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport that caught fire after a crash landing on 05 May 2019. The second video is of a fire that happened due to an ancestor worship in a village in China. Both the videos are not related to the recent China plane crash, where a Boeing 737-800, which had 132 people on board, crashed in a mountainous area of southern China. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Video 1:
When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video, a video with similar visuals was found on YouTube. The YouTube video uploaded on 06 May 2019 says the plane which is on fire is the Russian Aeroflot plane at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Since the video is old, it is not related to the recent China plane crash.
When we searched online with relevant keywords, it was found that the Russian authorities later released the footage of the plane crash. According to reports, the plane burst into flames after a crash landing on the runway, killing 41 people. The plane (Aeroflot Flight SU1492) was carrying 73 passengers and five crew members.
Similar videos (here and here) of a plane on fire, at different angles, were shared online with varying claims.
Video 2:
If one sees the video clearly, there is no plane in the video. There are only huge flames amidst trees.
When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video with relevant keywords, a video with similar visuals was found on a Chinese website. According to the website, the visuals are from a fire that happened due to ancestor worship in a village in Fujian province in China. And these visuals which are being shared as though from a recent plane crash in China’s Guangxi region is not true.
AFP Fact Check had spoken to a government spokesperson in China, about the same video, who confirmed to them the video shows a hillside fire in a local village on 20 March 2022.
To sum it up, these visuals are not related to the recent plane crash in China.

source: news-factly

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

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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2022లో అమెరికాలో జరిగిన భారత స్వాతంత్ర్య దినోత్సవ వేడుకల్లో పాల్గొన్న దృశ్యాలను ప్రస్తుత ఎన్నికల్లో అల్లు అర్జున్ కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీకి ప్రచారం చేస్తున్నట్లు షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 23, 2024
2024 సార్వత్రిక ఎన్నికలు ప్రారంభమై మొదటి ఫేజ్  ముగిసిన విషయం తెలిసిందే. ఐతే ఈ నేపథ్యంలో టాలీవుడ్ నటుడు అల్లు అర్జున్ కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీ తరపున ప్రచారం చేస్తున్నట్లు ఒక వీడియో సోషల్ మీడియాలో విస్తృతంగా షేర్ అవుతుంది (ఇక్కడ & ఇక్కడ). మెడలో కాంగ్రెస్‌ను పోలిన కండువాతో అల్లు అర్జున్ ఒక వాహనంపై నిలబడి ప్రజలకు అభివాదం చేస్తున్నట్టు ఈ వీడియోలో చూడొచ్చు. ఈ కథనం ద్వారా ఆ వీడియోకు సంబంధించి చేస్తున్న క్లెయిమ్‌లో  నిజమెంతుందో చూద్దాం.
క్లెయిమ్: 2024 ఎన్నికలకు సంబంధించి నటుడు అల్లు అర్జున్ కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీ తరపున ప్రచారం చేస్తున్న వీడియో.
ఫాక్ట్(నిజం): ఈ దృశ్యాలు 2022లో అమెరికాలో జరిగిన భారత స్వాతంత్ర్య దినోత్సవ వేడుకలలలో అల్లు అర్జున్ పాల్గొన్నప్పటివి. అమెరికాలోని ప్రవాస భారతీయులు నిర్వహించిన ఈ పరేడ్‌లో అల్లు అర్జున్‌ను గ్రాండ్ మార్షల్‌గా సత్కరించారు. ప్రస్తుత ఎన్నికలకు సంబంధించి అల్లు అర్జున్ కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీకు మద్దతిచ్చినట్లు ఎటువంటి ఆధారాలు లేవు. కావున పోస్టు ద్వారా చెప్పేది తప్పు.
ముందుగా ప్రస్తుత ఎన్నికలకు సంబంధించి అల్లు అర్జున్ కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీకు మద్దతిచ్చినట్లు మాకు ఎలాంటి రిపోర్ట్స్ లభించలేదు. కాగా, ప్రస్తుతం షేర్ అవుతున్న వీడియోకు భారత ఎన్నికలకు ఎటువంటి సంబంధం లేదు. ఈ వీడియో 2022లో అమెరికాలో జరిగిన భారత స్వాతంత్ర్య దినోత్సవ వేడుకలకు సంబంధించింది.
ఈ వీడియోకు సంబంధించిన సమాచారం కోసం ఇంటర్నెట్‌లో కీవర్డ్ సెర్చ్ చేయగా ఇవే దృశ్యాలను 2022లో రిపోర్ట్ చేసిన పలు కథనాలు మాకు కనిపించాయి (ఇక్కడ, ఇక్కడ & ఇక్కడ). ఈ కథనాల ప్రకారం 2022లో న్యూయార్క్‌లో భారత స్వాతంత్ర్య దినోత్సవ వేడుకల సందర్బంగా జరిగిన ఇండియా డే పరేడ్‌లో గ్రాండ్ మార్షల్‌గా నటుడు అల్లు అర్జున్ పాల్గొన్నారు. ప్రస్తుతం షేర్ అవుతున్న దృశ్యాలు ఆ కార్యక్రమానికి సంబంధించినవే.
అమెరికాలోని ప్రవాస భారతీయులు నిర్వహించిన ఈ పరేడ్‌లో అల్లు అర్జున్‌ను గ్రాండ్ మార్షల్‌గా సత్కరించారు. ఈ కార్యక్రమం 21 ఆగస్టు 2022న జరిగింది. అల్లు అర్జున్ తన అధికారిక యూట్యూబ్ ఛానల్‌లో ఈ కార్యక్రమానికి సంబంధించిన వీడియో ఫూటేజ్‌ను షేర్ చేసాడు. ఈ కార్యక్రమానికి సంబంధించిన మరికొన్ని కథనాలు ఇక్కడ మరియు ఇక్కడ చూడొచ్చు. ఈ వివరాల బట్టి షేర్ అవుతున్న వీడియోకు ప్రస్తుత ఎన్నికలకు ఎటువంటి సంబంధంలేదని స్పష్టమవుతుంది.
చివరగా, 2022లో అమెరికాలో జరిగిన భారత స్వాతంత్ర్య దినోత్సవ వేడుకల్లో అల్లు అర్జున్ పాల్గొన్న దృశ్యాలను ప్రస్తుత ఎన్నికల్లో అల్లు అర్జున్ కాంగ్రెస్ పార్టీకి ప్రచారం చేస్తున్నట్లు షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు .


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These visuals depict Buddhist relics transported from Sri Lanka for the inauguration of Kushinagar Airport - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 26, 2023
A video claiming to depict Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath along with Union Ministers receiving the pious stone on which Sita Mata sat in Ashoka Vatika (Sri Lanka) brought to Ayodhya by Sri Lankan airlines is being widely across social media platforms. Through this article let’s look into the veracity of the assertions attributed to the video.
Claim: Video of Yogi Adityanath along with  Union Ministers receiving the pious stone on which Sita Mata sat in Ashoka Vatika (Sri Lanka), brought to Ayodhya by Sri Lankan airlines.
Fact: The viral footage shows Buddhist monks transporting religious relics from Sri Lanka for the inauguration of a new international airport in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, in October 2021. Simultaneously, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda, donated a ‘shila’ (stone) from the Sita Mandir in Ashok Vatika to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. There is a likelihood that this news might have been misconstrued and associated with the aforementioned visuals. Hence the claim made in the post is Misleading.
The viral visuals indeed show Buddhist monks bringing some religious relics from Sri Lanka; however, it is not the pious stone on which Sita Mata sat in Ashoka Vatika as claimed in the viral post but a Buddhist relic. Furthermore, these artifacts were being presented for the inauguration of a new international airport in Kushinagar, not Ayodhya.
A search on Google using pertinent keywords provided us with news articles that depicted scenes similar to viral images (here & here). These reports, dating back to October 2021, described the event as follows: “A Sri Lankan flight was greeted at Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar International Airport on Wednesday. Yogi Adityanath welcomed the Buddha relics at the airport, accompanied by a delegation of 123 Sri Lankan representatives.”
Further search led us to tweets from Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Kishan Reddy, who posted pictures from the event. In their tweets, the ministers mentioned their participation in a ceremonial reception marking the arrival of the Sacred Buddha Relic from Sri Lanka, coinciding with Ashwin Poornima and Abhidhamma Day at Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh.
After a six-day period, the relics were returned to Sri Lanka, as reported by the Indian embassy in a Twitter post. The tweet included an image of the Buddha relic, which is being circulated as a stone from the Ashok Vatika.
Sacred #Kapilavastu relics of Waskaduwa returned to #SriLanka after a 6-day, multi-city exposition in #India .Received at @BIA_SriLanka on arrival by the Head of Chancery.Diverse nature of linkages in #Buddhism continue to be the cornerstone of people-to-people ties btw 🇮🇳&🇱🇰. pic.twitter.com/4dQIkDBffe
It is important to highlight that, according to reports, Milinda Moragoda, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, donated a ‘shila’ (stone) from the Sita Mandir in the island country’s Ashok Vatika to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, as conveyed by Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda today donated a 'shila' (stone) from the island country-based Sita Mandir, Ashok Vatika to Ram Temple in Ayodhya: Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra pic.twitter.com/mWcZeqnP5B
This news may have been misunderstood and linked to the visuals in question. Nevertheless, the widely circulated footage depicts the ceremonial reception of the Buddha relic, which was brought for the inauguration of the Kushinagar airport.
To sum it up, the viral visuals depict Buddhist relics transported from Sri Lanka for the inauguration of Kushinagar Airport.

created: November 26, 2023


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These visuals depict members of the BJP Mahila Morcha trampling posters featuring Hindu Gods, not Congress supporters - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 10, 2024
A video shared online depicts protesters ripping posters of Hindu Gods and walking on them, with claims that it shows Congress supporters desecrating the posters of Hindu Gods. The video is being shared with accusations that Congress is showing disrespect to Sanatana Dharma through these actions. In this article, we verify the accuracy of these claims.
Claim: Video depicting Congress supporters desecrating the posters of Hindu Gods.
Fact: The video captures members of the Madhya Pradesh’s BJP Mahila Morcha protesting outside the residence of Jitu Patwari, the state Congress chief, in response to his comments about former minister Dabra Imarti Devi. During the protest, they tore up and walked on posters depicting Jitu Patwari. Notably, these posters also contained images of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ram. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The video does show a group of protesters desecrating posters featuring images of Hindu gods. However, these are not supporters of Congress but rather those of the BJP. This is confirmed by the visuals, which clearly show the women protesters donning BJP scarves.
Additionally, a search on Google using relevant keywords led us to news reports from 03 May 2024, which featured the same visuals. According to these reports, the incident occurred in Indore, where women from the BJP Mahila Morcha protested outside the residence of Congress state chief Jitu Patwari. They were protesting Patwari’s inappropriate comments about former minister Dabra Imarti Devi.
During the protest, they tore posters featuring Jitu Patwari and walked on them. However, these posters also included images of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ram. As the video went viral, the Congress party accused the BJP of disrespecting these deities. In response, Congress supporters filed a complaint with the Madhya Pradesh Police against the Mahila Morcha activists. These reports indicate that the individuals in the video are BJP supporters, not Congress members.
To sum up, these visuals show members of the BJP Mahila Morcha trampling posters featuring Hindu Gods, not Congress supporters.


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These visuals do not show 4000 years old mummy filled with gold treasure - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 7, 2022
A blog that reported that Archaeology Department has excavated a 4000-year-old mummy filled with gold treasure is being shared widely. The blog shared images and visuals of the excavated mummy. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the blog.
Claim: Visuals of the mummy full of gold treasure, excavated by the archaeology department.
Fact: These visuals show a mummy excavated in Luxor city of Egypt in 2018. The mummy is excavated by a French-led mission in the Al-Assasif necropolis on the western bank of the Nile and is presumed to be 3000 years old. The authorities have opened it in the presence of the media, for the first time. However, there is no gold treasure found in the mummy. It was initially reported that the sarcophagus contained well-preserved mummified remains of a woman named Thuya. However, the antiquities ministry later said they are working to definitively identify the name of the mummy. Recently, a mummy with gold tongue was discovered in Egypt, however, apart from the gold tongue, the sarcophagus has nothing made of gold. Moreover, the visuals shared in the blog has nothing to with this recent discovery. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
These visuals actually show an excavated mummy in the Luxor city of Egypt back in 2018. Reverse image search of the visuals in the blog yielded news reports which published the same image. As per these reports, the visuals are related to a 3000-year-old mummy excavated in Luxor city of Egypt. It was one of the two mummies that were excavated by a French-led mission in the Al-Assasif necropolis.
The authorities have opened it in the presence of the media, which was the first time opening of a previously unopened sarcophagus before international media. The opening revealed that the sarcophagus contained mummified remains of a woman but not gold. Initially, it was reported that the sarcophagus contained well-preserved mummified remains of a woman named Thuya. However, the antiquities ministry later said they are working to definitively identify the name of the mummy. The visuals of the opening of the sarcophagus can be seen here.
Another article that reported about the excavation can be read here. Even this article reiterated that the sarcophagus contained mummified remains of a woman but not gold. From all these, it is evident that the visuals shared in the blog are related to the 2018 excavation and the excavation did not yield any gold.
Recently, authorities in Egypt discovered mummified remains of a man and a woman along with three gold foil amulets in the shape of the tongue. Apart from these three foils, no other gold items were found. However, the viral visuals have nothing to do with this excavation. Further, we could not find any credible reports of excavation of mummies filled with gold treasure.
In a nutshell, these visuals do not show a 4000-year-old mummy filled with gold treasure.

created: January 7, 2022


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These visuals do not show a real nuclear attack; They are from a video game - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 14, 2022
A purported video of a nuclear attack on earth recorded from space is being shared on social media as a real incident. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Aerial view of nuclear attack on Earth.
Fact: Visuals show a clip from the video game ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’, and not a real incident. Hence the claim made in this post is MISLEADING.
We searched the internet with relevant keywords and found that the extended version of the video was uploaded on YouTube on 01 April 2020. As per the title and description, this scene is from a video game called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 initially released in 2009 and Campaign Remastered in 2020. Viral clip can be from 1:07 minutes in the YouTube video.
To sum it up, a clip from a video game is shared as real incident of nuclear attack on earth.

created: December 14, 2022


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These visuals do not show any real paranormal activity but are created using computer graphics - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 16, 2023
A strange video involving a woman walking on a wall is being circulated as if the visuals show some paranormal activity. Through this article, let’s fact-check the authenticity of the video shared in the post.
Claim: Visuals showing a paranormal activity involving a woman walking on a wall.
Fact: These visuals are created using computer graphics by a graphic designer. These visuals are initially shared on a YouTube channel with the name ‘MGB CORE’. On the Instagram account with the same name, the admin of these accounts self-identifies as a computer graphic designer. Additionally, there are similar visuals posted on these accounts. Further, he categorically mentioned that he is the creator of all content on this account. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The Twitter handle which shared the viral video is known to share such videos claiming to show paranormal activity. However, the viral video does not show any real incident of paranormal activity but is created using CGI.
A reverse image search of the viral visuals led us to the same video on a YouTube channel titled ‘MGB CORE’. The video is uploaded on YouTube on 11 November 2019.
However, on the Instagram account with the same name (MGB CORE), the admin of the account self-identifies as a computer graphic designer. Further, he categorically mentioned that he is the creator of all content on this account.
This implies that viral visuals are created using computer graphics. Further, there are similar visuals of paranormal activity showing women strangely walking on a wall, on this Instagram & YouTube accounts.
Further, we have reached out to the administrator of the Instagram page, seeking clarification about the viral video. This this article will be updated according to the response.
To sum it up, these visuals do not show any real paranormal activity but are created using computer graphics


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No, these visuals do not show rehearsals by the farmers for the upcoming R-Day tractor parade. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 25, 2021
In the context of the tractor parade to be conducted in New Delhi by the protesting farmers on Republic Day, a photo and a video are being shared on the internet with the claim that they show the rehearsals of farmers for the tractor parade. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of rehearsals by the protesting farmers for the upcoming Republic Day tractor parade in New Delhi.
Fact: The posted visuals are old. While the photo is related to a ‘tractor tochan’ competition, the video is being shared on the internet at least since August 2019. So, the visuals are not related to rehearsals by the protesting farmers for the Republic Day tractor parade. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Photo: (archived)
When the posted photo was run through Google Reverse Image Search, the same photo was found in a video uploaded on Facebook in July 2020.
Also, the same photo was found as a thumbnail of a video uploaded in March 2019.  In the video, the drivers in the same dress with the same tractors can be seen competing against each other. The title of the video reads – “ford 3600 vs arjun 605 ||tractor tochan”. The details regarding the ‘tractor tochan’ competition can be read here. So, the posted photo is old and not related to the 2021 Republic day tractor parade.
Video: (archived)
The same video was found in an article published by ‘India.com’ in August 2019. While the exact details of the video were not found, it can be concluded that it is not related to the 2021 Republic day tractor parade as the video is on the internet at least since August 2019.
Previously, when another video went viral with a similar claim, FACTLY has debunked the claim and written a fact-check article, which can be read here. Some news agencies have reported about the rehearsals conducted by the farmers for the upcoming tractor rally. Those reports can be found here and here.
To sum it up, the visuals in the posts do not show rehearsals by the farmers for the upcoming R-Day tractor parade.

created: January 25, 2021


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These visuals do not show any Parsi woman giving birth to 11 children in a single birth - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 27, 2023
Update (27 March 2023): Another image is being shared on social media claiming that a women had given birth to 11 babies in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. However the image shows babies delivered through IVF at the 21st Century Hospital in Surat. Gujarat. As per reports, ‘about 30 women had conceived through IVF nine months ago the 21st Century Hospital in the city. Of them, 11 couples wanted the delivery of their babies on the special 11/11/11 date and scheduled operations for the delivery.’ More images of these babies can be seen here.
Update (20 December 2022): Another image of a woman with huge belly along with the image of babies delivered through IVF at the 21st Century Hospital in Surat is being shared with the same claim that a woman gave birth to 11 babies. However, the woman with huge belly in the image is a Mexican woman named Mercedes Talamantes, who had a 132-Pound Ovarian tumour. More details about her can be read here.
Published (20 April 2022):
A social media post accompanying a video of doctors performing caesarean section is being widely circulated with a claim that ‘A Parsi girl gave birth to 11 sons, this is the first incident in the world’. Further, the post claims that delivery was done in Surat’s Nanpura Hospital. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: A Parsi girl in Surat gave birth to 11 sons at single birth – Viral visuals.
Fact: There are no reports of any such woman giving birth to 11 children in a single birth. Currently Nadya Suleman from California holds the Guinness world record for most children delivered at a single birth to survive. She gave birth to eight children in single birth. As far as the viral visuals are concerned, a Turkish paediatrician shared the visuals initially in 2018, claiming a woman gave birth to six children at once. However she claimed the source of the video to be unknown. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
There are no reports of any such woman giving birth to 11 children in a single birth in Surat or for that matter in any part of India. Further, using keyword search, we could not find any information about Nanpura hospital in Surat.
A Times of India article dated 10 November 2011, reported that ‘a Surat based In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) centre will undertake operations on 11 would-be mothers to schedule the births of their babies on  11-11-11’.
Further, the article added that ‘about 30 women had conceived through IVF nine months ago the 21st Century Hospital in the city. Of them, 11 couples wanted the delivery of their babies on the special date.’ Most likely this news could be the source for the viral post.
However, there are no reports in line with the claim made in the viral post. According to the Guinness World Records, Nadya Suleman holds the record for most children delivered at a single birth to survive. Suleman gave birth to six boys and two girls at the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, on 26 January 2009. The babies were conceived with the aid of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment and were nine weeks premature when they were delivered by Caesarean section.
In June 2021, several media outlets published news that a South African woman has broken a Guinness World Record as she gave birth to 10 babies at once (here, here & here). However, later on, the news was found to be untrue. As per news reports, an official enquiry has found that no hospital in Gauteng province has a record of decuplets being born. Thus Nadya Suleman still holds the Guinness World Record for most children delivered at a single birth.
Viral visuals:
Reverse image search of the viral visuals led us to a 2018 Instagram post by a Turkish paediatrician Banu Ince Demirpençe, that shared the same visuals. As per the description of the post, the visuals show the delivery of six children and not 11 as claimed in the post. However, the post claims the source of the video to be unknown.
Moreover, the language that could be heard in the viral video, suggests that the video is not from India. Although we could not independently verify the location of the viral visuals, the information provided establishes that the visuals are not from India and the visuals do not show the birth of 11 children in a single delivery.
To sum it up, these visuals do not show any Parsi woman giving birth to 11 children in a single birth.


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These visuals of a crack formed on land are not due to vibrations of the Tectonic plates in Turkey - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 21, 2023
A video is being shared on social media claiming that the visuals show the crack formed on the Earth’s surface due to vibrations of the Tectonic plates. The post’s description implies that this video is captured after the recent Turkey earthquake. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: This video shows the visuals of a crack or fault formed on the Earth’s surface in Turkey.
Fact: The visuals belong to a fault that lies in Xuezhang Township, Ruicheng, Shanxi Province, in China. The video has been circulating on the internet since November 2022, much before the February 2023 earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria. Hence the claim made in the post is False.
Performing a reverse image search on the internet with a few keyframes from the viral post led us to similar videos (here, here and here) posted on YouTube and Bilibili.com.
Based on one of such video’s descriptions, which reads, ‘It’s incredible! Have you ever seen hundreds of millions of years of crustal changes divide the plain into two? In Pinglu County, Yuncheng, Shanxi Province, there is such a gully that separates the houses on both sides.‘ On Google Maps, we searched for Pinglu County, Yuncheng, Shanxi Province, using the video’s description as a clue. The North of Pinglu County location contains such land faults or ditches. Like in the viral video, houses are at the borders of these land faults.
In the description of another video which shows visuals of the ditch or a land fault similar to the viral video, Xuezhang Township, Ruicheng, Shanxi Province, is mentioned.
Similar ditches/land faults can also be found in this location, which can be seen here. The viral video could have been mostly shot here. These videos (here and here) were available online much before the Turkey and Syria earthquake of February 2023. Further information about faults and how they are formed on the Earth’s surface can be found here.
To sum up, these visuals of a crack formed on land are neither from Turkey nor due to vibrations of the Tectonic plates in Turkey.

created: February 21, 2023


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These visuals of a man immolating are from Bihar, not Uttar Pradesh - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 24, 2023
A social media post accompanying a video of a man who immolates in front of a bulldozer, while people present around try to rescue him is being widely circulated. It is being shared claiming that visuals are from Uttar Pradesh, wherein two men self-immolated to protest Yogi Adithyanath government’s action (demolition drive).  Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of two men immolating in UP against Yogi’s action.
Fact: This incident took place recently in Patna, Bihar and not UP. A protesting shopkeeper immolated when the railway officials tried to remove the encroachments. The video has nothing to do with UP or Yogi Adithyanath.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
While it is true that the visuals show self-immolation of a man against an encroachment drive, the incident did not take place in Uttar Pradesh. This incident took place in Bihar.
Reverse image search of the viral visuals yielded multiple news articles that reported the incident. One such news article which published same visuals, reported the incident is from Patna, Bihar.
According to this report, earlier on 16 February 2023, Anil Kumar, a hardware shop owner had set himself on fire, when a team of officials tried to demolish his shop as part of an anti-encroach drive.
Further, multiple news agencies reported the incident, which can be read here & here. According to these reports, when railway officials along with police personnel tried to remove the encroachments near Mehdi Ganj Railway Gumti, shopkeepers protested the drive. And amid the chaos, Anil Kumar set himself on fire.
As per the News 18 report, the injured man succumbed to death while he was being taken to Delhi for treatment. Thus, it is clear that the incident took place in Bihar, not UP.
To sum it up, these visuals of a man setting himself on fire are from Bihar, not UP.

created: February 24, 2023


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These visuals of a woman thrashing a Muslim man in a train predate the Kashmir Files movie - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 23, 2022
A social media post accompanying a video of a woman thrashing a Muslim man in a train is being circulated widely with a claim that the incident is a consequence of the ‘Kashmir Files’ movie. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of a woman thrashing a Muslim man in a train – Consequence of the Kashmir Files movie.
Fact: The viral visuals predate the Kashmir Files movie. These visuals are related to an incident wherein Madhu Sharma, disciple of controversial religious leader Yati Narsinghanand thrashed a Muslim man in train for allegedly pushing her while passing through the coach, back in October 2021 much before the release of the movie. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
These visuals are related to an old incident, wherein Madhu Sharma, a disciple of controversial religious leader Yati Narsinghanand thrashed a Muslim man in a train for allegedly pushing her while passing through.
Google search with relevant keywords yielded multiple news articles which reported similar visuals back in October 2021. As per these reports, Madhu Sharma thrashed the Muslim man for allegedly pushing her and she also made him touch her feet, which is also evident from the viral video.
Few other news articles which report the visuals can be read here, here and here. However, these visuals predate the Kashmir Files, a movie based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during the Kashmir insurgency in the 1990s. The movie was released on 11 March 2022, whereas the viral visuals show an incident that happened in October 2021.
To sum it up, these visuals of a woman thrashing a Muslim man in a train predate the Kashmir Files movie.


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These visuals of Argentina fans erecting a cutout of Lionel Messi under water are from Lakshadweep, not Kerala - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 26, 2022
A video of a few fans of the Argentina football team, allegedly from Kerala, setting up a cutout of Lionel Messi under water is being shared widely on social media. Let’s fact-check this through this article.
Claim: The Argentina football team fans from Kerala erected a cutout of Messi under water.
Fact: The video shared in the viral post was shot and uploaded by a vlogger named Mohammed Swadikh on his YouTube channel, ‘Lakshadweep vlogger, swadikh’. Swadikh erected a cutout of Lionel Messi underwater (Arabian Sea) in Lakshadweep. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The viral video contains a watermark that reads Lakshadweep Vlogger. At the beginning of the video, at the 0:14 mark, we can see Argentina Fans, Kavaratti, written at the bottom of the cutout.
A simple search on Google reveals that Kavaratti is the capital of Lakshadweep, a Union Territoty in India. Based on these hints, we searched the internet for the source of the video. This led us to a 4 minute 55-second video titled ‘underwater messi cut out at Lakshadweep‘ uploaded on a YouTube channel named ‘Lakshadweep vlogger, Swadikh’. The visuals of this video match those of the viral video.
Vlogger Mohammad Swadikh, who hails from Lakshadweep, erected a cutout of Lionel Messi on the seabed of the Arabian Sea. His feat also attracted media coverage which you can watch here and here. In an interview given to NDTV, Swadikh said that he did this feat to adhere to a challenge that he posted on his Facebook, which is to erect a cutout of Messi underwater if Argentina qualifies for the final of the FIFA world cup.
To sum it up, these visuals of Argentina fans erecting a cutout of Messi underwater are from Lakshadweep, not Kerala.

created: December 26, 2022


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These visuals of assailants chopping off hand of a man in Punjab are not related to the recent pro-Khalistan incidents - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 27, 2023
In light of recent clash between Amritsar police and followers of Pro-Khalistan leader and chief of Waris Punjab De, a video of assailants chopping off fingers of a man is being widely shared with a claim linking the video to recent Pro-Khalistan activity in Punjab. Sharing the video, the post claims that Khalistan terrorists chopped off the hand of a man. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of Khalistan terrorists chopping off hand of a man.
Fact: These visuals are from an incident where three assailants chopped off the fingers of man, as an act of revenge for a murder. The incident reportedly took place in Mohali, on 08 February 2023. Further, the police did not mention of the relation to Pro-Khalistan activities to the incident. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On 23 February 2023, supporters of Amritpal Singh, a Pro-Khalistan leader and chief of Waris Punjab De, stormed the Ajnala police station in Amritsar with his supporters and clashed with them seeking the release of one of his colleagues who had been taken into custody in an alleged kidnapping case.
Following this incident, a video surfaced on social media platforms, wherein assailants can be seen chopping the fingers of a man, linking the incident to the recent pro-Khalistan activity in the state.
However, this video is not related to the pro-Khalistan activities but another separate incident that took place in Mohali. Moreover, this incident is reported much earlier on 08 February 2023. According to news reports, it is an act of revenge for murder that had taken place six months ago.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (city 1) Harinder Singh Mann told Indian Express that Gaurav along with two others attacked the victim Hardeep Singh, suspecting his involvement in Gaurav’s brother’s murder, six months ago.
Further, Mann said that an FIR has been registered against the three at Phase-1 police station  under section 365 (kidnapping), 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 379-B (snatching) and under other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Another news report that carried the concerned police officers’ statements can be viewed here. None of these reports suspected any involvement of pro-Khalistan terrorists. Hence, it is evident that this incident is not way related to recent pro-Khalistan activities.
To sum it up, these visuals of assailants chopping off the hand is not related to the recent pro-Khalistan activities in Punjab.

created: February 27, 2023


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These visuals show a fire accident at a pandal and not at a CNG station in Delhi’s Rohini area - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 30, 2022
A social media post accompanying a video of a massive fire accident is being circulated with a claim that the visuals show a fire accident at CNG station in Delhi’s Rohini sector. Through this article let’s fact-check the veracity of the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals related to a fire accident happened at a CNG station in Delhi’s Rohini area.
Fact: These visuals are related to an incident of fire breaking out at pandal/banquet hall in Delhi’s Rohini sector 11, on 24 March 2022. Due to the close proximity of the pandal to the CNG station, social media users and few media outlets initially shared that the fire broke out at the CNG station. However, it is not the CNG station but the pandal that caught fire. Delhi police also clarified the same. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
These visuals are related to a recent fire accident that took at a pandal/banquet hall and not the CNG station in Delhi’s Rohini area.
Google search with relevant keywords yielded news reports which reported the same visuals. As per one such article, the visuals show a fire breaking out at a wedding pandal which is located near a CNG station in Rohini’s sector 11 on 24 March 2022.
Due to the close proximity, some people believed that the accident took place at the CNG station and made it viral on social media, the article reported.
Further, Delhi Police through a tweet also clarified that the fire broke out at a pandal and not the CNG station. As per the tweet, the incident happened on 24 March and no casualties were reported.
A video being spread on social media, of fire at a CNG pump in Rohini, is factually incorrect. Incident of fire took place on 24th Mar at a pandal wherein no casualties were reported.#DelhiPolice acted promptly to help contain the situation. @dcprohinidelhi #DelhiPoliceUpdates pic.twitter.com/0MKJaNXFPE
Multiple news agencies have also reported the incident as a fire breaking out at the pandal and published different visuals related to the incident, these can be viewed here, here, and here.
To sum it up, these visuals show a fire accident at a pandal and not a CNG station in Delhi’s Rohini area.


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These visuals show Mappila Theyyam performance in North Kerala, which involves reciting Adhan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 4, 2023
A social media post claims that as a result of  the Kerala government’s action of appointing Muslim and Christian priests in temples, these priests are reciting Adhan and consuming alcohol & meat during Hindu rituals. In support of the argument,  the post shares a clip of a ritual, wherein the priest can be heard reciting Adhan. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Priests reciting Adhan during a Hindu ritual, because of Kerala government’s decision to appoint Muslim and Christian priests in temples.
Fact: The viral visuals show a ritual called Theyyam, dominant in North Kerala. And the particular video is from Kassargod, where Mappila Theyyam are performed. Usually during Mappila Theyyams, Hindu performers dress as Muslims and recite Adhan. Also, some Theyyams involve alcohol and meat offerings. Further there is no evidence to conclude that Kerala government is recruiting Muslims/ Christians as priests in Hindu temples. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The ritual seen in the viral video is called ‘Theyyam’, a ritual art form that originated in North Kerala and can also be seen in some parts of Karnataka. Reverse image search of the screen shots of the viral video, yielded multiple news reports, which reported the same video (here, here, here & here).
As per these reports, the visuals show Manichi & Bapiriyan Theyyam, unique rituals of North Malabar. And this video is from Kasaragod district.
Manichi & Bapiriyan Theyyam:
Taking a cue from this, through Google search, we found that there are over 400 separate Theyyams, each with their own music, style and choreography. The most prominent among these are Raktha Chamundi, Kari Chamundi, Muchilottu Bhagavathi, Wayanadu Kulaven, Gulikan and Pottan (here & here).
In north Kerala, Manichi Theyyam and Bapiriyan (Bappooran) Theyyams are known as Muslim/ Mappila Theyyam , as Muslims are addressed as Mappila. In these, Hindus play Muslim characters and perform Islamic rituals. And there are about 15 such Mappila Theyyams, depicting Hindu-Muslim religious harmony.
Further, according to these reports, some Theyyam’s in North Kerala also involve offering alcohol and meat to the performers.
Hence, these details ascertain that the viral visuals shared in the post, are part of a ritual dominant in North Kerala which involves Muslim community and alcohol.
Kerala Government appointing Muslims/ Christians as priests:
According to this article, Kerala has temples that are managed by state-run temple boards, private temple boards, or by community organisations such as Nair Service Society (NSS) and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham, etc.
Staff, including priests are recruited by the respective temple boards. And recruitment to the temples under the boards are done as per Hindu Religious Institutions Act 1951, except for posts which are bequeathed to a family member traditionally. Further, as per the existing norms, SCs get 10% reservation, while STs get 2% share in recruitment.
There are reports stating that in 2017, Travancore board for the first-time appointed Dalits as priests in various temples under it. However, we could not find any official information/news reports with regards to Muslims/ Christians being appointed as priests by the government.
To sum it up, these visuals show Mappila Theyyam performance in North Kerala, which involve reciting Adhan.


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These visuals show PM Modi looking at a presentation by foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 7, 2022
A social media post accompanying a video of PM Modi participating in a meeting along with cabinet ministers and secretaries is going viral on social media platforms. In the viral video, Prime Minister Modi can be seen gazing at something in front of him, with a paper file open in his hand. Showing these visuals of PM Modi staring at something in front of him, the post claims that he is posing for a photo-op, amidst a meeting. Through this article, let’s fact-check the veracity of the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of Prime Minister Modi posing for photo-op during a meeting.
Fact: These visuals are from the second high level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister over the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, on 28 February 2022. Multiple news agencies have reported this meeting. Visuals reported by the news agencies clearly show foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan operating a screen with the help of a remote control and other members present in the meeting looking at the screen. This implies PM Modi was also looking at the presentation on the screen, which is exactly in front of him. Also  Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
These visuals are from the second high-level meeting chaired by the Prime Minister over the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, on 28 February 2022.
Multiple news agencies have reported the meeting and have also telecasted visuals of the meet. As per these news reports, in the meeting PM reviewed issues like the evacuation of Indians stranded in Ukraine, sending a consignment of relief supplies to Ukraine to deal with the humanitarian situation, etc.
From the visuals related to the meeting, as telecast by the news agencies, it is clearly evident that PM Modi was looking at a screen in front of him, while the foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was operating the projector using a remote control. Even the other members present in the meeting can be seen looking at the screen which was being used by the foreign secretary for a presentation.
Even from other news reports, it is clearly evident that PM Modi and other members were looking at the screen being operated by Harsh Vardhan Shringla.
Visuals of another previously held meeting on the Ukraine crisis chaired by PM Modi clearly show a screen in front of him. Similar to this, in the viral video PM Modi was looking at a screen in front of him, as visuals of a foreign secretary operating the screen, corroborates the argument.
To sum it up, these visuals actually show PM Modi looking at a presentation made by foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.


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These visuals show the arrest of a criminal in Madhya Pradesh, not the person who issued death threats to the Karnataka Judges - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 28, 2022
A social media post accompanying a video of police taking a man into custody is being widely circulated with a claim that the video shows the man who issued death threats to the Karnataka High Court Judges over the hijab verdict. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of police taking custody of the man who issued death threats to the Karnataka High Court judges over hijab verdict.
Fact: These viral visuals are actually related to the arrest of a wanted criminal Amjad Lala by Madhya Pradesh police. Couple of news reports also reported the same visuals identifying the man as Amjad Lala. While it is true that Bengaluru police have arrested two men who issued death threats to the Karnataka High Court judges over the hijab verdict, the viral visuals do not show these arrests.  Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Earlier, the Bengaluru police have taken custody of Jamal Mohammed Usmani and Kovai Rahmathullah, members of Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ), an Islamic religious outfit for issuing death threats to the Karnataka High Court judges over the hijab verdict. News articles related to the arrest can be read here and here.
However, the visuals shared in the viral post do not show the arrest of the above-mentioned people. Reverse image search of the viral visuals yielded couple of recent news articles which reported the same visuals. As per one such article dated 15 March 2022, the visuals show Naya Abadi police in Madhya Pradesh taking custody of Amjad Lala, a serial offender, who was absconding for the last 6 years.
Another news article that reported the same visuals also identified the person as Amjad Lala and reported that he was taken into custody by the Naya Abadi police. Thus these clearly prove that the viral visuals are in no way related to the Karnataka Hijab row.
To sum it up, visuals of the arrest of a wanted criminal in Madhya Pradesh are passed off as police arresting the man who issued death threats to the judges of the hijab verdict.


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These visuals show the explosion of a car fitted with a gas cylinder, not of an electric car - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 3, 2023
A video of a car explosion is being widely shared across social media platforms with a claim it shows electric car explosion while charging. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals showing explosion of an electric car while charging.
Fact: The visuals show an explosion of a car due to the gas cylinder fitted in the car. The incident took place earlier on 26 February 2023 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Multiple news agencies and Uzbekistan’s emergency department acknowledged that the explosion  was due to gas cylinder. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The visuals shared in the viral post indeed show a recent car explosion. However, it is a LPG cylinder, that caused the explosion, not charging of electric battery, as claimed.
Reverse image search of the screenshots of the video, led us to Turkish news article, dated 01 March 2023, that reported the same visuals. As per the article, the incident reportedly happened in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The article reported that the explosion happened while refueling the LPG cylinder of the car. The man seen hit by the debris is reportedly dead. Further search yielded a few Uzbek news articles (here & here), which confirmed the explosion of the gas cylinder as the cause of the accident. And as per these reports, the incident took place on 25 February 2023.
Department of Emergency Situations of Samarkand region, also acknowledged the incident as an explosion of gas cylinder installed in the car.
Hence, these reports establish that it is not charging of an electric vehicle which led to the explosion, but the refuelling of gas cylinder of  the car.
To sum it up, these visuals show the explosion of a car fitted with a gas cylinder, not of a electric car.


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These visuals showcase wax food display replicas found in Japan, not China - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 3, 2024
A viral video shows a man crafting artificial cabbages, accompanied by a claim suggesting it shows the preparation of artificial cabbages in China. In this article, we aim to fact-check the assertion associated with the video.
Claim: Video shows preparation of artificial cabbages in China.
Fact: These visuals showcase wax food display replicas found in Japan, not China. These artificial cabbages are not meant for consumption; instead, they are utilized as food replicas exhibited outside restaurants in Japan. It is a common practice within Japan’s food industry to employ such artificial food replicas. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The video indeed showcases the creation of artificial cabbages. However, the visuals featured are not from China but from Japan. Moreover, these artificial cabbages are not intended for consumption; rather, they serve as food replicas showcased outside restaurants in Japan.
Upon conducting a YouTube search using pertinent keywords, we discovered a full-length version of the viral video uploaded to the YouTube channel ‘macdeetube’ in February 2014. According to the accompanying description, the video showcases an artist crafting ‘ultra-realistic’ food replica of different meats and vegetables destined for restaurants in the Gifu Prefecture of Japan.
Additional investigation uncovered news articles discussing these artificial food replicas (here & here). According to these reports, the incredibly realistic fake food, known as ‘shokuhin sample’ or ‘food sample,’ is utilized outside restaurants in Japan to enhance menu cards, allowing diners to visually perceive their orders. Consequently, these reports confirm that the viral video has no association with China.
Previously, when identical visuals were circulated alongside an assertion that China was unloading synthetic cabbages onto American consumers, the fact-checking organization Snopes refuted the claim. They clarified that the visuals portrayed Japanese wax food samples.
To sum it up, these visuals showcase wax food display replicas found in Japan, not China.

created: February 3, 2024


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These visuals showcasing infrastructure of luxurious trains are from Indonesia, not India - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 4, 2023
A social media post accompanying a video of a train fitted with modern facilities is being circulated. It is being shared as visuals of train from the Indian railways. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals showing improvement in railway infrastructure under the Modi government.
Fact: The video shows luxurious trains launched by the Indonesia’s sole operator of public railway, KAI, in 2019. The train shown in the viral video carried  KAI logo and many Indonesian words. Multiple news agencies have shared the visuals of these luxurious trains. These visuals show infrastructure similar to the one shown in the viral video. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Upon close observation of the video, in the beginning of the video, we can spot ‘tutup pintu kembali’ written on the entrance door of the train. Using Google translate, we found that is an Indonesian word, which means ‘close the door’, suggesting that train could most probably be from Indonesia.
Further, we can spot ‘KAI’ written outside the train coach. Through Google search, we found that KAI stands for ‘Kereta Api Indonesia’, which is the sole operator of public railways in Indonesia. The logo design of KAI, spotted in the viral video is same as the Indonesian railways.
Taking a cue from all these, Google search with relevant keywords, yielded multiple videos and news reports, which reported the launch of luxurious trains by KAI in Indonesia in 2019. The infrastructure in these trains is similar to the one shared in the viral video. These news reports can be viewed here, here, here and here.
Further, KAI, through a tweet, detailed the introduction of these luxurious trains. According to this tweet, KAI introduced these trains in May 2019. The tweet also shared images showcasing the infrastructure of these luxurious trains.
Comparison of one such image shared through the tweet, with that of a screen shot form the viral video, confirms that viral video shows Indonesian luxurious trains.
To sum it up, these visuals showcasing infrastructure of luxurious trains are from Indonesia, not India.


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These warning messages against possible malware attacks on WhatsApp are a hoax - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 18, 2021
A post claiming that BBC radio has warned against possible malware (Martinelli, WhatsApp Gold & Dance of the Pope) attacks on WhatsApp is being shared on social media. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: BBC radio’s warning against possible malware attacks on WhatsApp.
Fact: Warning messages related to possible malware attacks through WhatsApp videos named ‘Martinelli’ & ‘Dance of the Pope’ are actually a hoax and have been in circulation for quite a while. Malware attacks in the name of WhatsApp Gold did take place in 2016. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We could not find any official statement from BBC or any other news article mentioning that BBC has issued these warning messages. However, our research found that warning messages related to ‘Martinelli’ & ‘Dance of the Pope’ are hoaxes, whereas malware attacks in the name WhatsApp Gold did take place earlier.
Martinelli:
Google search with relevant keywords led us to a 2017 tweet by Spanish police saying that the WhatsApp message regarding Marinelli video is a hoax.
Circula por #WhatsApp📱 este mensaje advirtiendo sobre el "vídeo de Martinelli"👉🏻#Stopbulos, ✋🏻no lo compartas https://t.co/TtAb0aYNUE pic.twitter.com/R4aOovWAo3
Few fact-checkers have debunked the same viral message as a hoax back in 2018. One such fact-check story can be read here. News article mentioning that the video (which the viral message warns about) is not real and that it is making rounds for quite some time now can be read here.
WhatsApp Gold:
Through Google search with relevant keywords, we found that the malware attack in the name WhatsApp Gold did take place earlier. UK’s national fraud and cybercrime reporting center cautioned their citizens back in 2016 regarding the malware attack in the name of WhatsApp Gold.
According to a news article, WhatsApp has distanced itself from the malware attack saying it has nothing to do with the WhatsApp Gold or WhatsApp Plus. However, the warning message has been doing the rounds since 2016 and has surfaced again.
Dance of the Pope:
We could not find any news articles or official reports of incidents of malware attacks through a WhatsApp video named ‘Dance of the Pope’. However the warning message has being doing rounds since 2015.
Few fact-checkers have debunked the warning message earlier and said it to be a hoax. One such fact-check story can be read here. News articles which state that the warning messages are nothing but a hoax and are in circulation for quite a while can be read and here.
To sum it up, these warning messages against possible malware attacks on WhatsApp are a hoax and have been doing rounds for quite a while.

created: January 18, 2021


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This 2009 David Icke video does not predict the present situation of the COVID-19 pandemic; he was talking in the context of the 2009 Swine Flu - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 28, 2022
A video through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that David Icke had predicted the present situation with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2009. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: 2009 Video of David Icke predicting the present situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact: This video was clipped from a full video series named, ‘David Icke on Global Awakening’ in 2009. David Icke said these words in the context of the 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic about vaccines having microchips, not the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no scientific evidence that vaccines developed with respect to the 2009 pandemic or the ongoing pandemic (COVID-19) contain microchips. David Icke had promoted several unsubstantiated conspiracy theories on social media. He is banned from Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter for spreading misinformation on COVID-19. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When a reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video, a YouTube video was found with similar visuals. The YouTube video titled ‘David Icke on Global Awakening 2/5’ was uploaded on 19 November 2009. This is the second part of a five-part video series of David Icke talking on ‘Global Awakening’ on the YouTube channel. The YouTube video had been cut at 1:22 timeframe to make a 1-minute-45-sec length viral video.
However, at the end of the first part of the video series, i.e., the ‘David Icke on Global Awakening 1/5’ video, one can see that David Icke’s talk was in the context of the 2009 Swine Flu pandemic. Initially in the second part as well, David Icke says, “I was told in 1997 by a CIA scientist who asked to meet me to get lots of information out, that he couldn’t, that, in 1997 in secret projects in the underground bases, they had microchips so small they could be inserted into people through a hypodermic needle in vaccination programs and that was the plan. All these years later, of course, we have a name for this technology, we call it nanotechnology and he was saying that the plan was to use vaccination programs to insert these microchips. Then you look at other examples of these. For example, in 1969 there was a doctor called Dr. Richard Day, who was head, at the time, of planned parenthood which of course is the eugenics organisation and he told doctors in Pittsburgh in 1969, a series of things that he said were going to happen in the years to come, to transform the society and bring in this control system. And when you look at what he said, compared with what’s happening now (i.e., Swine Flu Pandemic), its extraordinarily accurate and some of the areas he covered were…”
David Icke’s video is in the context of the 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic, and not the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no mention of any COVID-19 pandemic in the video series available on that YouTube channel. There is no scientific evidence that vaccines developed with respect to the 2009 pandemic or the ongoing pandemic (COVID-19), contain microchips.
David Icke had promoted several unsubstantiated conspiracy theories on social media. His official YouTube channel and Facebook pages were deleted because he repeatedly published misleading information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Even Twitter banned David Icke over COVID-19 misinformation.
To sum it up, this 2009 David Icke video does not predict the present situation of the COVID-19 pandemic; he was talking in the context of the 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic.

created: January 28, 2022


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This 2017 video of a person brutally beating a monkey to death is shared with a false communal narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 14, 2021
A video through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that a Muslim is seen beating a monkey to death. FACTLY received a query on its WhatsApp tip-line number (+91 9247052470) to check the authenticity of this claim. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a Muslim beating a monkey to death.
Fact: The video is from a 2017 incident when a person named Pawan Bangar was seen brutally beating a monkey to death for straying into his farm. Action was taken against the person under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video, a YouTube video with similar visuals was found. The YouTube video uploaded on 19 December 2017 is titled, “Maharashtra: Men tie and beat injured Baboon to death in Washim”. According to the video news report, the main accused who was involved in the incident is named “Pawan”.
According to news reports, the incident happened at Kurha village in Washim district, Maharashtra in 2017. A person had brutally beaten a monkey with sticks and belts for straying into his farm. The person is identified as ‘Pawan Bangar’ who is the main accused for beating the monkey. “Apart from Bangar, the forest department has arrested two underage accused. While one of them has been identified as Pawan Rathod, the officials have not revealed the identity of the third accused.” Action against the main accused was taken under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
To sum it up, a 2017 video of a person brutally beating a monkey to death is falsely shared with a communal narrative.

created: December 14, 2021


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This 3D-Visualisation is not the proposed design of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 24, 2020
A 3D-Visualisation of a building is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it is the architectural view of proposed Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Architectural view of proposed Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.
Fact: The 3D-Visualisation shown in the picture is related to ‘Temple of the Vedic Planetarium’ building at ISKCON Headquarters in Sri Dham Mayapur (West Bengal). Also, when FACTLY contacted Mr Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra (one of the members of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust), he clarified that the post is fake. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photo of the building was run through Google Reverse Image Search, the same photo was found on the ‘ISKCON News’ website. On that website, it can be read that the 3D-Visualisation is related to ‘Temple of the Vedic Planetarium’ building at ISKCON Headquarters in Sri Dham Mayapur (West Bengal).
A video related to the same 3D-model can be found on the ‘Temple of the Vedic Planetarium – TOVP’ YouTube video channel. The latest visualization video of the building has blue domes in place of golden domes. The construction photos of the same building can be seen here, here and here.
Also, when FACTLY contacted Mr Bimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra (one of the members of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust) regarding the photo, he clarified that the post is fake. Multiple news agencies have recently reported that the Ram Mandir model designed three decades ago by Chandrakant Sompura (with some modifications) will be the design of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. These news reports can be found here and here.
To sum it up, the 3D-Visualisation in the post does not show ‘Architectural view of proposed Ram Mandir’.
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This AAP billboard promising the division of Goans based on caste and religion is a morphed one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 19, 2021
An image of an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hoarding is being shared on social media claiming that the AAP National convenor and the Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal made an election promise to divide Goans based on caste and religion if his party comes to power in Goa. This hoarding with Kejriwal photo states, “Kejriwal’s 4th Guarantee: Caste/Religion wise division of Goa”. In the wake of the upcoming Goa Assembly elections in 2022, this post is being shared on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hoarding that promises Goa people a caste/religion based division.
Fact: The photo shared in the post is a morphed image. The original Aam Aadmi Party hoarding promises 5,000 rupees per month allowance for the unemployed youth in the Mining and Tourism sectors in Goa. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, a similar billboard photo was found in an article published by ‘The Goan’ news website on 18 October 2021. The text on the original hoarding reads, “Kejriwal’s 2nd Guarantee Unemployed in mining, tourism? ₹ 5,000/ month till it starts”. This article reported it as one of the hoardings that were placed at the northern entrance to the commercial capital Fatroda. As part of the upcoming Goa Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party had reportedly made an election promise to provide an allowance of 5000 rupees per month to the unemployed youth in the Mining and Tourism sectors due to the COVID-19.
Ahead of the Goa Assembly elections, AAP Chief Aravind Kejriwal had made seven election promises for the youth living in Goa. These election promises include an allowance of ₹ 5,000 to the unemployed youth in the tourism and mining sectors. Reporting Kejriwal’s Goa election promises, several news websites have published articles. They can be seen here and here.
My 7 Guarantees for Goa's youth
▪Jobs for Goans, not just for MLA's relatives
▪1 Job/family for unemployed
▪3000/month until then
▪80% pvt jobs reserved for Goans
▪5000/month for unemployed in tourism due to COVID
▪5000/month for mining ban affected
▪Skill University
To sum it up, a morphed photo is falsely shared as the picture of Aam Aadmi Party billboard promising the division of Goans based on caste and religion.

created: November 19, 2021


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This AAP poster is an edited one. The original poster reads – ‘झाड़ू’ (Jhadu/Broom) - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 21, 2022
A photo of the Aam Aadmi Party election poster is being shared on social media. The poster reads – “भाजपा को हराना चाहते हैं? तो, झांटु को ही वोट दें” (which can be roughly translated as – “Want to make BJP lose? then vote only for jhantu”). Jhantu/Jhatu is a derogatory word. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: AAP poster asking people to vote only for ‘Jhantu/Jhatu’
Fact: The poster in viral post is an edited one. The original poster reads – “झाड़ू को ही वोट दें” (Vote only for Jhadu). ‘झाड़ू’ (Jhadu/Broom – AAP symbol) word has been edited to make it ‘झांटु’. The same edited photo is viral since 2019 and has been debunked by multiple news agencies in the past. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On observing the word – ‘झांटु’ closely (by increasing the brightness of the photo), one can see the shade difference between ‘टु’ and other letters.
When the photo was run through Google Reverse Image Search, the same photo was found to be shared by multiple people since March 2019. However, one can find the AAP posters from January 2019 with the slogan – “भाजपा को हराना चाहते हैं? तो, झाड़ू को ही वोट दें।“ (Want to make BJP lose? then vote only for jhadu). ‘झाड़ू’ (Jhadu/Broom – AAP symbol) word has been edited to make it ‘झांटु’ in the posted photo. Some of the tweets made by AAP party members in January 2019 can be seen here, here, here, and here.
The meaning behind the posters as explained by one of the AAP party members can be seen in the Aaj Tak video. When the edited photo went viral in March 2019, NDTV also held a discussion on it, which can be seen here. Also, the original photo can be seen in the Aaj Tak fact-check article published in 2019.
To sum it up, the posted photo is an edited one. The original poster reads – ‘झाड़ू’ (Jhadu/Broom).

created: January 21, 2022


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This abduction video of a woman is from Kolar, Karnataka - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 30, 2020
A post with a video of a man abducting a woman is doing rounds on social media with the claim that the incident took place in Vikarabad, Telangana. A few other are sharing the same video as that of an incident from ECIL in Hyderabad. Through this article verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a man abducting a woman in Vikarabad.
Fact: Telangana State Police through a Facebook post clarified that the video is not related to Vikarabad abduction. The video is actually related to the abduction of a woman which took place in Kolar, Karnataka. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Google search with the keywords ‘Vikarabad Woman Kidnap’ led us to a Facebook post by Telangana State Police clarifying that the video which is being widely circulated as of Vikarabad woman kidnap is not related to the case. In the post, the police also stated that there is no recorded CCTV video footage available as far as the Vikarabad abduction is concerned. Further, Vikarabad police on their YouTube channel uploaded a video stating the same.
Further, the search led us to a video by a Kannada news channel which published the same video in the past. As per this report, the incident took place in Kolar and the woman was finally rescued by the police. News articles reporting the incident can be read here and here.
In the light of the recent abduction of a 26-year-old woman in Vikarabad, videos like those in the post are being falsely attributed to the Vikarabad abduction and being circulated on social media platforms.
When a twitter user tagged the Telangana police alerting them about the video to be of a kidnapping incident from ‘ECIL X Roads’ in Hyderabad, Rachakonda police commissioner, Mahesh Bhagwat clarified that ‘This incident has not occurred at ECIL. Video was edited and inserted the text wrongly’. He later tweeted the news video that mentions the incident to be from Kolar, Karnataka.
This incident has not occurred at ECIL. Video was edited and inserted the text wrongly. Trying to find out the location.
To sum it up, CCTV footage of a girl being kidnapped in Kolar, Karnataka is falsely being linked to various places surrounding Hyderabad.
Update (OCTOBER 01, 2020):
While the video was first shared as that of a kidnapping incident in Vikarabad, it was later shared as that from ECIL. The article title and content is updated to address both the claims.

created: September 30, 2020


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This ‘ABP’ news breaking news template about Sambit Patra’s daughter eloping with a Muslim boy is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 10, 2021
An image of an ‘ABP’ news is being shared on social media claiming that BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra’s daughter eloped with a Muslim boy. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: ‘ABP’ reported the news of BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra’s daughter eloping with a Muslim boy.
Fact: The photo shared in the post is a digitally created image. This image was created using a meme generator website. It is nowhere reported that Sambit Patra’s daughter eloped with a Muslim boy. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On observing the template carefully, we could see that the ‘ABP’ news logo was placed towards the center right side of the screen. But the original broadcast of the ‘ABP’ news bulletin always shows the ‘ABP’ logo on the top right corner of the screen.
Also, we could observe a logo on the top right corner which was blurred using asterisk symbols. The breaking news template and the logo are similar to that of the ‘Break Your Own News’ meme generator website. Using the ‘Break Your Own News’ meme generator website, one can create his or her own meme news template.
On reverse image search, we found a similar photo of Sambit Patra published in several news articles and video thumbnails. They can be seen here and here. But we could find any news report confirming that Sambit Patra’s daughter had eloped with a Muslim boy. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the ‘ABP’ news bulletin image shared in the post is created using a meme generator website.
To sum it up, this ‘ABP’ breaking news template reporting Sambit Patra’s daughter eloping with a Muslim boy is a fake.

created: September 10, 2021


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This ‘ABP News’ bulletin reporting Delhi High Court’s judgement against ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ film is a morphed one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 6, 2022
A screenshot of an ‘ABP News’ bulletin is being shared on social media claiming that the Delhi High Court had passed a judgement recognising Prithviraj Chauhan as a Gurjar King and issued directions to the ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ makers to not depict Prithviraj Chauhan as a Rajput King in their film. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: ‘ABP News’ bulletin reporting the Delhi High Court’s judgement on Akshay Kumar’s ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ film.
Fact: The photo shared in the post is a morphed one. ‘ABP News’ did not report such news recently on their news channel. Following the Yash Raj Films’ clarification of absolute neutrality and no caste or religious references in their film, the Delhi High Court had disposed of a plea filed against ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ film for allegedly depicting the ruler as a Rajput King. The Delhi High Court did not issue any such order recognising Prithviraj Chauhan as a Gurjar King. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we searched to check whether the Delhi High Court had passed any such judgement on the Akshay Kumar starrer Samrat Prithviraj film, we could not find any news report about a court order recognising Prithviraj Chauhan as a Gurjar King. On 01 June 2022, the Delhi High Court disposed of a plea filed against Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ for allegedly depicting Prithviraj as a Rajput king. Reporting this news, several news websites published articles. They can be seen here and here.
The Gurjar Samaj Sarv Sangthan Sabha Ekta Samanya Samiti had filed this petition claiming that ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ film was based on the book Prithviraj Raso, in which king Prithviraj was referred to as a Gurjar warrior. Citing certain articles and discourses, the petitioner alleged that the makers are promoting Prithviraj Chauhan as a Rajput king. Responding to these allegations, Yash Raj Films stated to the court that the movie is absolutely neutral and does not refer to any caste, either Rajput or Gurjar. Accordingly, the Delhi High Court has disposed of the case. However, the Court made it clear that the respondents shall remain bound by their statement.
When we searched to check whether ABP News has reported any such news on their channel, we could not find any such news report published on the ‘ABP News’ YouTube channel and on their official Twitter handle. On comparing the ‘Breaking News’ template text in the post with the text of the actual ‘Breaking News’ template of the ‘ABP’ news channel, we could observe the differences in the font. The ‘ABP News’ bulletin writes the Hindi text of the High Court as ‘हाईकोर्ट’. But the screenshot shared in the post refers High Court as ‘हाई कोर्ट’. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the ‘ABP’ News screenshot shared in the post is a morphed one.
‘ABP News’ through a tweet has also clarified that the screenshot of its template that is being widely shared on social media is fake and that no such news has been broadcasted by them.
abp न्यूज़ के नाम से एक फर्जी स्क्रीनशॉट वायरल हो रहा है. ऐसी कोई भी खबर abp न्यूज़ पर प्रसारित नहीं की गई है.
देश-दुनिया की विश्वसनीय खबरों के लिए हमें फॉलो करें
FB – https://t.co/JR7bB49wcm
Instagram – https://t.co/aqv7WEBOLJ
YouTube – https://t.co/0If2rUr85L pic.twitter.com/0DeLSUZ4F4
To sum it up, this ‘ABP News’ bulletin reporting Delhi High Court’s judgement against ‘Samrat Prithviraj’ film is a morphed one.
Update (07 June 2022):This article has been updated with the clarification tweet from ABP.


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This ABP opinion poll predicting BJP majority in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections is a morphed one - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 12, 2023
A screenshot of a purported ABP news bulletin is being shared on social media claiming that an opinion poll conducted by ABP-CVoter survey had predicted that BJP could secure 115-127 seats and Congress could secure 68-80 seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Screenshot of the ABP opinion poll predicting 115-117 seats to BJP and 68-80 seats to Congress in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023.
Fact: The ABP News bulletin photo shared in the post is a morphed one. The ABP-CVoter survey opinion poll had predicted 115-117 seats for Congress and 68-80 seats for BJP in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
When we searched to find the veracity of the claim using relevant keywords, we found the video of the latest ABP-CVoter survey opinion poll, related to the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023, on the official Facebook page of ABP News. The ABP-CVoter survey opinion poll predicted that Congress could secure 115-117 seats of the total 224 seats in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections.
The ABP News channel published the C-Voter survey opinion poll results on their Facebook page.
The ABP opinion poll predicted that Congress could form the government in Karnataka by securing 40% votes in the upcoming elections. The ABP-CVoter survey projected BJP as the second largest party securing a total of 68-80 seats in the upcoming Karnataka Elections. The photo shared in the post is created by editing the seat figures projected by the ABP news bulletin.
Earlier, when similar edited opinion poll results of different news channels related to different elections were shared on social media, Factly published fact-check articles debunking those claims. They can be seen here, here and here.
To sum it up, this ABP opinion poll predicting 15-117 seats to BJP and 68-80 seats to Congress in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections 2023 is a morphed one.


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This ABP report featuring an opinion poll for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections is digitally morphed - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 12, 2023
An alleged ABP News report, which showed the Congress party leading by a significant margin in their opinion poll for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh state assembly elections, is being extensively circulated on various social media platforms. According to the poll, the Congress is projected to win 150-158 assembly seats in the state, while the BJP is expected to secure only 66-75 seats. Through this article let’s fact-check the veracity of the news report shared in the post.
Claim: ABP News opinion poll predicting Congress victory in the upcoming Madhya Pradesh state elections.
Fact: The viral report is a digitally morphed version of an earlier report of the ABP news published in June 2023, featuring the opinion poll for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. The original poll indicated a closely contested race, with a slight edge for the Congress over  the BJP. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
It is true that ABP released an opinion poll concerning the upcoming Madhya Pradesh state assembly elections. However, it’s important to note that it is not the latest poll but was actually published back in June 2023. Moreover, the poll indicated a closely contested race, with a slight edge for the Congress over the BJP, very different from the claims that the Congress had a substantial lead, as suggested in the viral video.
A relevant keyword search did not yield any report of ABP news featuring an opinion poll, favoring the Congress party as indicated in the viral video. However, the search led us to a tweet by the Vice President of the ABP News agency cautioning against the circulation of a manipulated opinion poll.
@ABPNews के ओपिनियन पोल से छेड़छाड़ करके ये क्लिप बनाई गई है जो साफ़ साफ़ नज़र आ रही है। दर्शकों से अपील है कि इस पर ध्यान न दें। इस क्लिप को प्रसारित करने वालों के खिलाफ #FakeNews फैलाने के आरोप में कड़ी कार्रवाई होनी चाहिए। @ChouhanShivraj https://t.co/nifQFHxgYe
A further search yielded an ABP news report that featured the results of an opinion poll conducted by C-Voter on behalf of ABP. This poll, conducted between 26 May and 26 June 2023, projected a narrow lead for the Congress party over the BJP in the forthcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.
The viral report, featuring a different set of results, has been created by digitally morphing this original report, by adding different graphics and voiceovers. This becomes apparent when one compares the screenshots of the viral video with those from the original report.
A comparison of region-wise prediction of seats for both parties, as mentioned in the viral report and the original report can be seen in the below table. All these indicate that the viral video is created by digitally morphing the original report published by ABP in June 2023.
To sum it up, this ABP report featuring the opinion poll for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh election is digitally morphed.

created: September 12, 2023


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This accident video has nothing to do with Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 11, 2020
A post with the video of an accident in which a girl is seen hit by a car is being widely shared on social media with the claim that that the incident took place on the newly built cable bridge on Durgam Cheruvu, Hyderabad. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a first car accident which took place on Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge, Hyderabad.
Fact: The Telangana state police through a tweet stated that the accident did not take place on Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge and mentioned the video as fake. We found a few old social media posts which shared the same video, dating back to 2017. Hence this is an old video and the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Reverse image search of the keyframes of the video in the post led us to a few social media posts which shared the same video a few years back. We even found a Facebook post which shared this video back in 2017. With this, we can say for sure that the video is not new and has been circulating on the internet for a few years.
Further Google search led us to a tweet by Telangana State Police which categorically stated that the accident which seen in the video did not take place on Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge, and their tweet rated the news as fake.
#FakeNews #DurgamCheruvuCableBridge
Video of car Accident which is circulating on social media not occurred on Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge. @CYBTRAFFIC @cyberabadpolice @TelanganaDGP @HYDTP @Rachakonda_tfc @RachakondaCop pic.twitter.com/YaHTvOZqGk
To sum it up, an old & unrelated video of an accident is being falsely shared as an accident that took place on Durgam Cheruvu cable bridge in Hyderabad.

created: October 11, 2020


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This act of making a lemon levitate in the air can be explained by illusion techniques rather than genuine supernatural powers - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 12, 2023
A widely circulated video on various social media platforms captures a sadhu demonstrating an intriguing feat – making a lemon levitate in the air. The footage depicts the sadhu reciting hymns, after which the lemon appears to defy gravity. The video is being shared to showcase the supernatural powers of Aghora, suggesting that the sadhu employed his supernatural abilities to make the lemon levitate. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a Sadhu demonstrating supernatural powers – making a lemon levitate in the air
Fact: This act of making a lemon levitate in the air, can be explained as a result of illusion techniques rather than genuine supernatural powers. Several methods can be employed to create the illusion of levitation, such as hidden supports, strings, or magnetic forces. The presently trending illusion involving the levitation of a lemon, shown in the viral video, might have been accomplished using a discreet, thin string, imperceptible to the naked eye, while employing strategic camera angles during the video recording to produce the illusion. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
As seen in the viral video featuring a sadhu, the purported supernatural act of making a lemon levitate in the air can be explained as a result of clever sleight of hand or other illusion techniques rather than genuine supernatural powers. In many cases, individuals who appear to possess extraordinary abilities are skilled performers or magicians who use various tricks to create illusions. Without concrete evidence supporting the existence of supernatural powers, it is essential to approach such claims with a skeptical mindset.
On numerous occasions, rationalists caution individuals against falling for such illusions. One such attempt by a rationalist debunking the myth about levitating a lemon in the air can be viewed here & here. In this video, the rationalist endeavors to elucidate the technique behind levitating a lemon by employing concealed supports or strings. As shown, these supports may be thin and difficult to detect, especially in a video. Usually, the illusion is created by manipulating these supports while distracting the audience with other actions.
One has to examine such videos closely for signs of manipulation, considering the possibility of hidden strings or supports, and exploring alternative explanations can help debunk the myth behind the seemingly extraordinary feat. It’s important to approach extraordinary claims with a critical perspective and seek rational explanations based on known principles and evidence.
The presently trending illusion involving the levitation of a lemon might have been accomplished using a discreet, thin string, imperceptible to the naked eye while employing strategic camera angles during the video recording to produce the illusion. Similarly, various other techniques can be utilized to create the illusion of a levitating lemon. A few additional methods are outlined below.
Gravity:
Further, the purported trick of making a lemon levitate in the air can be debunked by understanding the principles of gravity. Gravity is a fundamental force that attracts objects with mass towards each other, pulling them toward the center of the Earth. When someone claims to levitate a lemon, it is essential to recognize that gravity is a force acting on all objects, including the lemon. Without an opposing force or support, the lemon should naturally fall to the ground due to gravity.
Several methods can be employed to create the illusion of levitation, such as hidden supports, strings, or magnetic forces, as mentioned above. These methods don’t negate the influence of gravity but rather counteract it through clever manipulation or the introduction of alternative forces. In scientific terms, the trick of levitating a lemon is not a defiance of gravity but a skillful use of other forces and techniques to create the appearance of an anti-gravitational effect.
While we were unable to independently verify the authenticity of the currently trending video, the explanation provided above aims to explain that the act of making a lemon levitate in the air may be attributed to illusion techniques rather than any actual supernatural powers.
To sum it up, this act of making a lemon levitate in the air can be explained by illusion techniques rather than genuine supernatural powers.

created: December 12, 2023


text:
This alert message regarding a purported 'kidnap scam using perfumes' is false - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 31, 2023
A Facebook post shares a message that alerts the users about an elaborate kidnapping scam. According to the message, kidnappers ask people near malls or other places to sniff a paper laced with drugs in the guise of perfume testing and kidnap them once they pass out. According to the post, this scam alert is shared by K.M. Nagaraju, DCP Crime Branch. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: An alert message by K.M. Nagaraju, DCP crime branch, regarding a ‘kidnapping scam using perfumes’.
Fact: There are no credible news reports to prove that the Police had issued such an alert. In 2019, when similar messages went viral on social media, K.M. Nagaraju (DCP, Warangal), mentioned to Bangalore Mirror that this news is false and that he had already filed a complaint. Hence the claim made in the post is False.
We searched the Internet using relevant keywords to know if the Police had issued any such alert message. But the search did not lead us to any credible evidence, except for one article published by The News Minute. According to this article from 2019, a similar message was doing rounds on WhatsApp in Telangana. That message was shared with a claim that ‘over 78 girls are missing in Hyderabad alone and more than 540 ladies are missing past 10 days.‘ The News Minute mentioned that the messages are ‘distorting numbers to make it look like organised crime, causing panic and mass hysteria about women moving in public places.’
But to further check if DCP KM Nagaraju issued such a message, we searched the Internet again, this time with his name; it led us to a report published by Bangalore Mirror in 2019. The article noted that K.M. Nagaraju was indeed a DCP rank police officer who was working in Warangal. He told them the message circulated in his name is fake and that he even filed a complaint about it.
When the same message was circulating on social media in 2018, the Hyderabad City Police published a post on Facebook and labelled it false. This also indicates that the message has been in circulation on the internet for a very long time.
To sum up, this alert message regarding a purported ‘kidnap scam using perfumes’ is false.


text:
This allegation about Punjab CM Channi encouraging only study of Bible in universities is not true - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 22, 2021
A post is being shared on social media claiming that Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi had recently issued an order to set up a chair at the university level for the study of the Christian holy text Bible. This post alleges Charanjit Singh Channi as an OBC who converted to Christianity. This post further claims that the Punjab Government is not encouraging Hindu practices but is indulging in appeasement politics. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi issued an order to set up a chair at the university level for the study of the Bible, but hasn’t promoted any Hindu holy texts like Gita.
Fact: Recently, during a state-level Christian event, Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi announced setting up a chair at the university level for the study of the Bible. But in November 2021, Charanjit Singh Channi made a similar announcement about setting up a research centre on the holy texts Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. Charanjit Singh Channi even promised that he would learn Sanskrit and will do a doctorate on the Mahabharata. Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi is a Dalit belonging to the Ramdasia Sikh community. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When we searched to check whether Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi had made any such press statement, we found an ‘Indian Express’ article reporting similar information on 17 December 2021. On 16 December 2021, Charanjit Singh Channi attended a state-level function to mark the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ at Gurdaspur. While addressing the event, Charanjit Singh Channi promised the Christian community that his government will facilitate due representation of Christians in the state government boards and announced the setting up of a chair at the university level for the study of the Bible. Reporting the same, several other news websites have published articles. They can be read here and here.
But in November 2021, CM Charanjit Singh Channi announced setting up a research centre on the holy texts Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. Charanjit Singh Channi promised that he would learn Sanskrit and will do a doctorate on the Mahabharata.  Also, in  January 2020, during the Captain Amarinder Singh led Congress government, the Panjab University in Punjab approved the introduction of a one-year certificate course in Vedic studies. The Punjab University started implementing this course from the 2020-21 academic session. So, the allegation that Punjab Government is encouraging only Bible studies and not Hindu texts is false.
Also, while searching for the personal details of Charanjit Singh Channi, we found several news websites reporting Charanjit Singh Channi as a Dalit belonging to the Ramdasia Sikh community. They can be seen here and here. If Charanjit Singh Channi had converted to Christianity, several media channels would have reported that information. However, there are no such reports.
To sum it up, the allegation about Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi encouraging only study of Bible in universities is not true.

created: December 22, 2021


text:
This alleged tweet by Republic TV quoting Mani Shankar Aiyar is from a Parody Account - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 4, 2024
An X post allegedly made by Republic TV is being shared on social media with the image of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar claiming that he demanded the right for Muslims to vote four times in an election to ensure a fair and acceptable democratic process. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Republic TV reported that Mani Shankar Aiyar’s statement that Muslims should be given the right to vote 4 times in an election to ensure a fair and acceptable democratic process.
Fact: Although this tweet was shared in 2018, it is no longer available. Multiple fact-checkers have pointed out that this is a parody account. Several fake tweets were fabricated and shared in the name of Republic TV before.  Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On conducting a keyword search on the claim, we found that, in one of his articles, Mani Shankar Aiyar mentioned that the representation of Muslims in Parliament has significantly dropped to just 4 percent under the current government. However, we couldn’t find any other statements as claimed in the viral post.
Further, on searching for the post on the X account of Kanimozhi, we found that this tweet was posted in 2018 but the post is no longer available.
Further, we found that several fact-checkers indicating that this is a parody account, and we observed that numerous tweets were fabricated and shared in the name of Republic TV (here, here, and here). The authentic X account of Republic Media can be seen here.
We also discovered from the archives that the profile name was altered from “RepublicTv” to “republiictv” before the suspension of the account. This explains the difference in the spelling of the account name between the viral post and the post found on Kanimozhi’s account.
To sum up, an alleged tweet made by Republic TV quoting Mani Shankar Aiyar is from a parody account.

created: January 4, 2024


text:
This alleged video of PM Modi endorsing Congress is manipulated - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 25, 2023
A video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi allegedly endorsing the Congress party has recently gone viral on various social media platforms. In the video, PM Modi can be heard saying, “If you want to ensure the well-being of your children, then vote for the Congress.” Let’s fact-check this claim.
Claim: PM Modi is seen endorsing the Congress party in a viral video by saying, “If you want to secure your children’s future, vote for Congress.”
Fact: This is an edited video. The original video, found on PM Modi’s official YouTube channel, clearly shows him supporting the BJP and not the Congress. Hence, the claim made in the viral video is False.
To identify the authenticity of the viral video, we conducted a thorough search on the internet. The search led us to the original version of this video uploaded on PM Modi’s official YouTube channel (here and here). This clip is from a public meeting in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. In the video, PM Modi is heard saying, “If you want to ensure the well-being of your children, vote for BJP.” He further added, “If you want the Gandhi family to succeed, vote for Congress.”
Upon comparing the audio of the viral video with the original clip, it is clear that the former has been edited. The phrase “…vote for BJP” had been manipulated to say, “…vote for Congress”. The contrast in the statements between the original and the distorted video clearly points towards the manipulation, and one can listen to the actual sentence by Modi here.
To sum up, the video claiming PM Modi endorsed the Congress party is false. The original video on PM Modi’s official YouTube channel confirms that this audio is manipulated.

created: October 25, 2023