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Old & unrelated visuals are being circulated as dead bodies of Palestinians passed away in the ongoing conflict with Israel - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 27, 2023
A set of videos (here & here) depicting deceased Palestinians, purportedly victims of the ongoing conflict with Israeli forces, are gaining traction on social media platforms. Through this article, let’s look into the veracity of the claim attributed to these videos.
Claim: Visuals of dead Palestinians, who are victims of the ongoing conflict with Israeli forces in Gaza in 2023.
Fact: Both of these videos are unrelated and inaccurately linked to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. One video captures a distinctive dance ritual in Bali, which took place in October 2022. Meanwhile, the other video portrays an art installation displaying mock shrouded bodies of children in solidarity with those who lost their lives in the Israel-Palestine conflict. This installation is located in Palestine Square in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Video 1:
The images in question are unrelated to the current Israel-Palestine conflict, as they are from a religious event held in Bali in October 2022. Utilizing a reverse image search on the screenshots from the viral video led to the discovery of a news report confirming the origin of the visuals. According to this report, the images capture a peculiar dance ritual in Bali, where hundreds of villagers simulated being lifeless as part of the ritual.
The gathering took place in the Tabanan Regency, with a total of 108 simulated lifeless figures arranged on the ground. This enactment was a component of the religious play known as ‘Calonarang,’ dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Dewi Durga.
Taking a cue from the above-mentioned news report, further search with pertinent keywords yielded few news reports about the same visuals (here & here). These news reports also confirmed the above-mentioned details about the video. Thus, all these details establish that the viral visual has nothing to do with the recent Israel-Palestine conflict.
Video 2:
The visuals in question do not portray actual deceased individuals; instead, they showcase an art installation featuring simulated shrouded bodies of children. This installation is situated in Palestine Square in Tehran, the capital of Iran. A reverse image search on the screenshots from the viral visuals led to the discovery of multiple reports that confirmed the presence of a similar installation.
As per a specific report, the art installation, titled the ‘Symphony of the Killed,’ featured live music and was conducted at Tehran’s Palestine Square on 13 November 2023. The purpose of this performance was to convey a message of solidarity with the children of Gaza who lost their lives during the Israeli offensive.
News reports and stock images related to the art installation can be viewed here and here. These sources further affirm that the depicted figures are not actual dead individuals but rather part of an art installation conducted in Tehran.
To sum it up, outdated and unrelated visuals are being shared as though depicting the dead bodies of Palestinians in the ongoing conflict with Israel.

created: November 27, 2023


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Old & Unrelated visuals are being shared associating them to the upcoming Karnataka Elections - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 25, 2023
A set of social media posts accompanying videos linking them to the upcoming Karnataka elections are being widely circulated. One of the videos carries visuals of a mob vandalizing a BJP campaign vehicle. Another video shows people displaying placards asking not to vote for the BJP. Whereas the third video shows women receiving 2000 denomination notes in an envelope that carries a BJP party logo. Through this article let’s fact-check the authenticity of the claim associated with these videos.
Claim: Visuals related to the upcoming Karnataka elections 2023
Fact: These are old videos and have nothing to do with the upcoming assembly general elections in Karnataka in 2023. While one of the videos is related to the West Bengal general election held in April 2021, the other two videos are related to by-elections held in Telangana, back in 2021 & 2022. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Karnataka is going to the polls on 10 May 2023. Meanwhile, campaigns of all parties have gained momentum. In this regard, multiple videos have been doing rounds associating them with the upcoming elections. However, the visuals shared through above mentioned social media posts have nothing to do with the current elections. Let’s look into each video individually below.
Video 1:
These visuals are old and are related to a by-poll of the Munugode Assembly constituency, Telangana, that took place in November 2022. A reverse image search of the viral visuals yielded multiple news reports which reported the same visuals back in November 2022.
As per one such news report, the visuals show a clash between the ruling BRS and BJP supporters, on the last day of the campaign.
A couple of other news reports also reported that these visuals are from Munugode in Telangana can be viewed here and here.
Video 2:
A relevant keyword search on Facebook led us to a page titled ‘No Vote to BJP- Not a single vote to BJP’. The viral video was featured on this page back in April 2021.
The video is shared associating it with a caption that reads ‘Judgment of people around the world. There is no division in Bengal’. This implies that the video is made during the West Bengal general election held in 2021.
There is a twitter handle with the same name, and the same viral video is shared through this handle on 24 April 2024, with a caption that reads “Bengalis across the world saying No Vote To BJP”.
According to the Wire, a forum called “Bengal against Fascist RSS-BJP” formed by a group of people connected to various social and mass movements, started the campaign “No Vote To BJP”. Reports about the campaign can be read here and here.
Video 3:
These visuals of a woman receiving money in an envelope carrying the BJP election symbol actually date back to October 2021, when the Huzurabad constituency of Telangana went for a by-poll.
A reverse image search of the screenshots yielded few regional media reports which reported the same visuals associating them with the Huzurabad by-election. These reports can be viewed here and here.
Although these reports did not mention the exact location of the video, the availability of the video on the internet since 2021 establishes that it has nothing to do with the upcoming Karnataka elections.
To sum it up, old visuals are being shared associating them with the upcoming Karnataka Elections 2023.

source: news-factly

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

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Old & Unrelated visuals are passed off as those from the recent New Zealand earthquake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 21, 2023
A set of social media posts (here, here & here) claiming to show visuals of recent earthquake which struck New Zealand are being widely circulated. Through this article, let’s fact-check the veracity of these visuals.
Claim: Visuals related the recent New Zealand earthquake.
Fact: None of these visuals are related to the recent earthquake that struck New Zealand. While some of the visuals are related to the recent Turkey earthquake, most of the visuals are related to old incidents of earthquakes that occurred else where. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On 16 March 2023, an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 has stuck the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand. Following the quake, the US Tsunami warning system has issued a Tsunami warning of the coast of New Zealand. Later, the National Emergency Management Agency, ruled out the tsunami threat to New Zealand.
In light of this earthquake, multiple visuals are being shared on social media attributing them to the recent earthquake. However, these visuals are not related to the New Zealand earthquake.
Visual 1:
This visual showing an aerial view of dilapidated buildings is actually related to the recent Turkey earthquake. Reverse image search of this photo led us to the Guardian report, which carried the same visuals.
As per this report, the visuals show the destruction caused in Hatay province in Turkey, following the recent earthquake. The Guardian reported these visuals in February 2023 and according to the report, Hatay is one of the hardest hit parts of Turkey.
Visual 2:
This visual of a man holding on to the alcohol bottles from falling is not from New Zealand. Reverse image search of this photo led us to a June 2022 article, which reported the same visual.
This report is about the earthquake tremors which struck Meghalaya, reported this video as it went viral on social media, back then.
Another news article also reported the same video in their report about earthquake tremors in Meghalaya. Although the details of the exact location of the video is not known, the availability of the video ascertains the fact that it has nothing to do with the recent earthquake in New Zealand.
Visual 3:
These visuals of water splashing out of a swimming pool date back April 2015, when Nepal was struck with earthquake of 7.9 magnitude. Reverse image search of the viral screenshots yielded multiple news reports which reported the same visuals.
As per these news reports (here & here), the visuals show a swimming pool moving due to earthquake tremors in a hotel in Kathmandu.
Visual 4:
These visuals of a family lying on ground following the tremors is actually from Taiwan and the incident dates back to September 2022.
Reverse image search yielded us multiple new reprots which reproted the visuals (here & here). As per the reports, the visuals were recorded by the Hualien Zhuoxi Township Mountaineering Association, as they were conducting experience courses on Zhuoxi Mountain, when the tremors hit the area.
To sum it up, old & unrelated visuals are passed off as those from the recent New Zealand earthquake.


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Old & unrelated visuals are passed off linking them to Jahangirpuri violence - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 20, 2022
In wake of recent incidents of communal violence in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area during Hanuman Jayanthi celebrations, social media posts with multiple images claimed to be from this violence are being widely circulated across social media platforms. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Update (20 April 2022):
Image 5:
Claim: Visuals related to Jahangirpuri communal violence.
Fact: This is an old image. Multiple social media users shared this image back in April 2020. This image has nothing to do with the recent Jahangirpuri riots. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
This is an old image and has nothing to do with the recent Jahangirpuri riots. Reverse image search of this photo yielded multiple old social media posts, which shared the same image. Most of these posts date back to April 2020 (here, here & here). Although we could not independently verify the context of the image, the date of availability of this image on the internet establishes the fact that it is not related to the recent Jahangirpuri riots.
Update (19 April 2022):
Image 1:
Claim: Visuals of  Jahangirpuri communal violence.
Fact: The image is related to CAA protests that took place in Ahmedabad back in 2019. Multiple news reports published the same image back then. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
This image is old and is related to the CAA protest in Ahmedabad. Reverse image search of the viral photo led us to a 2019 news article that reported the same image. As per the news report, the image is from the CAA protests in Ahmedabad.
Another news report that reported the image as from Ahmedabad CAA protests can be viewed here.
Image 2:
Claim: Visuals of  Jahangirpuri communal violence.
Fact: This is an old image, available on internet since 2019. This image has nothing to do with the recent Jahangirpuri violence. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
This is an old image and is available on the internet from at least 2019. Reverse image search of this photo led us to a couple of 2019 social media posts that shared the same image (here & here). Although we could not independently verify the location and context of the image, the availability of the image on the internet proves that the image is not related to the recent Jahangirpuri violence.
Image 3:
Claim: Visuals of  Jahangirpuri communal violence.
Fact: The is an old image and is from Uttar Pradesh. The image is available on the internet since 2014. And the structure seen in the background of the image is Uttar Pradesh assembly. The image has nothing to do with the current Jahangirpuri violence. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
This is an old image and is available on the internet from at least 2014. Reverse image search of the photo led us to a 2014 tweet from a journalist that shared the same image. Although the tweet did not provide any context for the photo, the date of the tweet shows that the image is not related to the current Jahangirpuri violence.
“@chetan_bhaqat: .@JehangirPocha Please post this as well pic.twitter.com/COukd9pkm7” Lathi for lathi makes a whole state blind
Moreover, upon internet search we found that the building seen in the background of the viral image is Uttar Pradesh assembly, which implies the viral photo is from Uttar Pradesh.
Image 4:
Claim: Visuals of  Jahangirpuri communal violence.
Fact: This image shows mob in Lucknow protesting against the violence being inflicted upon Muslims in Assam and Myanmar. And the image dates back to 2012. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Even this is an old image, that dates back to 2012. Reverse image search of this photo led us to a 2012 news article that published the same image. As per the article, the image shows a mob in Lucknow, who are protesting the violence being inflicted upon Muslims in Assam and Myanmar
In wake of the Hanuman Jayanthi celebrations, Delhi’s Jahangirpuri witnessed communal violence. Multiple news agencies have reported mobs involved in the violence brandishing pistols and knives during the violence, (here & here). However, the viral visuals mentioned in this article are not related to the current violence as they are old and unrelated.
To sum it up, old & unrelated visuals are passed off linking them to Jahangirpuri violence.


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Old unrelated visuals falsely linked to the October 2023 Israel-Palestine conflict - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 19, 2023
Palestinian militant groups, led by Hamas, launched a large-scale attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October 2023, resulting in the death of hundreds of Israelis. In response, Israel initiated counter-offensive measures. Amidst this, several videos are being shared online, purportedly linking to this conflict. Let’s verify the authenticity of each one.
Update (19 October 2023):
Video 16:
A video depicting an airstrike on a building during a live media report is currently circulating widely on social media. This video is claimed to show recent footage of Israel’s airstrikes on Gaza. Let’s examine the validity of this claim.
A reverse image search of the viral video led us to the same footage, uploaded by Al Jazeera English on 14 May 2021 on X. The video was described as the moment an Israeli airstrike hit a high-rise building in Gaza while journalist Youmna Al Sayed was reporting live for Al Jazeera from a neighbouring building on 12 May 2021. Therefore, it is evident that this video originates from 2021 and is not related to the Israel-Palestine conflict of 2023.
Update (15 October 2023):
Video 15:
Another video depicting a helicopter being shot down by a missile is being widely shared as footage of Palestinian forces taking down an Israeli helicopter. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A reverse image search of the keyframes extracted from the viral video has led us to the same video, which was uploaded on 27 September 2023 on a YouTube channel named “Kazinkka Warrior“. The title and description of the video clarify that it is not real footage but a simulation from the video game Arma 3. Similar visuals of Arma 3 game simulation videos uploaded to the same channel and other channels can be seen here and here.
Update (14 October 2023):
Video 14:
Yet another video depicting a huge unmanned underwater vehicle emerging from a water body is being shared, with claims linking it to the ongoing conflict. The video includes a caption that reads ‘Fear Israel,’ suggesting that Israel may be deploying these weapons against Hamas.
However, it’s important to note that the video has no connection to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas; it has been available on the internet long before the commencement of the recent conflict.
A reverse image search on screenshots from the viral video directed us to a TikTok video featuring comparable visuals. The TikTok user shared this video on 29 September 2023, much before the current conflict, which began on 07 October 2023, with Hamas launching a surprise attack on Israel. This indicates that the video is unrelated to the ongoing conflict, though we do not know whether the video is a CGI creation or shows a real unmanned underwater vehicle.
The user posted the video with hashtags that imply it portrays a UFO sighting. This user has shared numerous videos claiming to depict encounters with extraterrestrial phenomena. Therefore, all of these findings conclusively demonstrate that the video is unrelated to the current Israel-Palestine conflict.
Update (13 October 2023):
Video 13:
Another video is being shared on social media claiming it shows visuals of missiles destroying military aircraft in the war-torn Israel and Palestine region. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
On observing the full video carefully, one could see a watermark with the text “BELAL The Gamer” at the bottom center at an instance of the video. When we searched for further sources of the video using relevant keywords, we found the same video on the Facebook page of “BELAL The Gamer”. This Facebook page published the video with the description, “Advanced Missile Destroys Massive KA-52 Battle Helicopters – ARMA3”. This Facebook user published many such simulated videos created using ARMA 3 video gaming software. A few of those videos can be seen here, here, and here.  So, it can be concluded that the video shared in the pot shows video game simulation clips created using the ARMA 3 video game software and has nothing to do with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Update (12 October 2023):
Video 11:
A video depicting a mosque being bombed is circulating widely on social media, with claims that it shows a mosque in Palestine being destroyed by Israel. Let’s examine the veracity of this claim.
FACTLY had already debunked this video in 2021, during the conflict between Israel and Palestine. According to media reports (here, here, and here), the video actually depicts an incident where the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) destroyed the Shi’ite Uwais al-Qarni mosque in Raqqa, Syria, back in 2014. Therefore, it’s clear that the video is not related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Video 12:
A video depicting paragliders landing has been circulating widely on social media, with claims that it shows Hamas militants gliding into Israel prior to an attack. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Upon conducting a reverse image search of the viral video, we found the same video posted on YouTube on 29 September 2023, titled “Parachute forces in Heliopolis“. Heliopolis is a suburb located in Cairo, Egypt. Additionally, we noticed that the phrase ‘EL NASR SC’ was emblazoned on the back of the t-shirts worn by individuals in the video. This led us to discover that the video was actually filmed during a paragliding event at the El Nasr Sporting Club in Cairo, Egypt. Similar videos of paragliding activities from this club can be viewed here and here.
Update (11 October 2023):
Video 9:
A video depicting a red flare spreading across the sky has been circulating widely on social media. The claim accompanying the video suggests that it showcases Israel’s retaliation against Hamas by attacking Palestine. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Upon conducting a reverse image search of the viral video, we discovered the same video posted on 02 October 2023 on TikTok, five days prior to the Hamas attack on Israel. Moreover, the original version (archived) of the video was uploaded on 28 September 2023 on TikTok, well before the recent Israel-Palestine conflict. Numerous users have commented that the video originates from Algeria. Guided by this information, we conducted further searches and found similar visuals (here, here, and here) shared by Algerian sports handles earlier as the visuals of football fans’ celebrations in Algiers, Algeria. While we were unable to independently verify the exact timing of the video’s recording, it is clear that the video is not related to the October 2023 conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Video 10:
Another video, allegedly showing a squadron of warplanes soaring through the sky, is being widely circulated on social media. The claim accompanying the video suggests that it depicts Israeli planes preparing to attack Palestine. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A reverse image search of the viral video led us to the original TikTok account (@iceman_fox1) that posted the video recently. The description indicates that the video was created using a software known as Digital Combat Simulator. We also discovered that the user frequently posts similar simulation videos of warplanes on their TikTok and Instagram pages. Digital Combat Simulator is a free-to-play digital battlefield game, offering the most realistic simulation of military aircraft, tanks, ground vehicles, and ships.
Update (10 October 2023):
Video 7:
A video depicting an explosion in a residential area is circulating widely on social media, with claims that it showcases recent footage of the Israel Air Force attacking terror targets in Gaza. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A Reverse Image search of the viral video directed us to the same video, which was uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Associated Press Archive on 18 May 2023. The description and other news reports indicate that the footage displays an Israeli airstrike on a house in northern Gaza, during a previous conflict between Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group in Gaza in May 2023. Therefore, it is clear that the footage does not depict the clashes between Israel and Palestine in October 2023.
Video 8:
Another video depicting an airstrike on a building is circulating, being shared as a recent video of the Israeli Air Force conducting an airstrike on Gaza. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A reverse image search of the viral video led us to the same video published by Quds News Network on X, dated 13 May 2023. The description states that Israeli occupation warplanes bombed and completely destroyed a house in the al-Zaytoon neighbourhood in Gaza City on 13 May 2023. Therefore, it is evident that the footage does not portray the clashes between Israel and Palestine in October 2023.
Published (09 October 2023):
Video 1:
A video depicting a soldier aiming a MANPADS at what appears to be a military helicopter and subsequently destroying it is being widely circulated as the visuals of Hamas fighters shooting down a helicopter in Gaza, Palestine. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A reverse image search of the viral video led us to the same footage posted by the Facebook page ‘Noakhalia Kaga’ on 16 August 2023, under the title “Stinger Missile Launcher System E169“.
The page clearly states that it is dedicated to gaming. Furthermore, users have identified the clip as being from the video game ARMA 3 & the creator confirmed the same. We also discovered that the page posts numerous similar clips from the game. Gameplay videos of ARMA 3, resembling the viral video clip, can be seen here.
Video 2:
A video depicting an airstrike demolishing a building is circulating widely on social media. It is claimed that the footage shows a recent airstrike by Israel, as part of ‘Iron Swords’, targeting a building in Gaza, Palestine. Let’s examine the validity of this claim.
A reverse image search of the viral video directed us to the same footage posted by the Al Jazeera English YouTube channel on 14 May 2021, titled ‘Israel Destroys Third Gaza Tower’. The description reads, “This is the moment the 14-storey al-Shorouq tower, housing media offices in Gaza City, was completely destroyed by multiple Israeli air raids on Wednesday (12 May 2021).” Other media outlets reported this incident at the time, as can be seen here and here. Hence, it is evident that the viral video is not related to the recent Israel-Palestine conflict.
Video 3:
A video that depicts fighter jets being transported by ground vehicles is circulating on social media. The accompanying claim suggests that the footage shows Israel evacuating their air bases near the Gaza Strip in response to the recent offensive by Hamas against Israel. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A reverse image search of the viral video directed us to the same footage, posted by X users (here & here) as early as 15th September 2023. The title of the video was, “Two F-16 fighter jets transported by ground transport spotted in southern Israel“. The video also features the name boards of the southern district towns of Ar’ara BaNegev and Arad in Israel. While we were unable to independently verify the context and precise date of the incident, it’s clear that the video predates the recent Israel-Palestine conflict, and therefore, does not depict the aftermath of the recent developments.
Video 4:
Another video purportedly showing two helicopters getting shot down is being widely shared on social media, claiming that it shows Israeli helicopters getting shot down in Gaza. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Reverse image search of the viral video led us to the same video uploaded to a gaming YouTube channel ‘Kazinkka warrior‘ on 04 October 2023. The uploader mentions that it is a simulation video from the game ARMA 3 and does not show any real incident. Similar visuals of ARMA 3 game simulation videos uploaded to the same channel and other channels can be seen here and here.
Video 5:
A video depicting armed men wreaking havoc in the streets is currently circulating widely on social media. The accompanying claim suggests that the footage shows Palestinian Mujahideen seizing control of Israeli headquarters. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that this same video was previously debunked by FACTLY in August 2021 when it gained traction as footage from Afghanistan. According to news reports (here, here, here, and here), the visuals actually depict Syrian rebel groups, including the al-Nusra Front, Jund al-Aqsa, Jaish al-Sunna, Liwa al-Haqq, Ajnad al-Sham, and Faynad al-Sham, capturing the city of Idlib in March 2015. Therefore, the video has no connection to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Video 6:
Another video, broadcasted by Zee News, showing paragliders in the sky has been widely shared on social media. The claim accompanying the video suggests it depicts Hamas militants parachuting into Israel to launch an attack. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Initially, a reverse image search of the viral video was conducted, but it yielded no results. Subsequent analysis led to a post on X that identified the building visible in the viral video as the Egyptian Military Training Academy. Taking a cue from this, a comparison was made between the building in the viral video and the Military Training Academy in Cairo, Egypt. The comparison clarified that the building in the video is actually located in Cairo, Egypt but not in Israel. Although the exact time and context of the video remain undetermined, it’s safe to conclude that the video originates from Egypt and is not connected to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

created: October 19, 2023


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Old unrelated visuals shared as incidents depicting the alleged 'Bhagwa Love Trap' - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 12, 2023
Numerous videos and images have gained significant traction on social media, purporting to be evidence of a phenomenon known as the ‘Bhagwa Love Trap.’ This conspiracy theory alleges that Hindu men are enticing Muslim women into relationships and marriages with the intention of converting them to Hinduism or resorting to violence if they refuse. In this article, we fact-check the validity of these claims regarding the alleged Bhagwa love trap.
Update (12 June 2023):
A video capturing a man inappropriately touching a girl wearing a Hijab in what appears to be a classroom has been widely shared on social media, with claims suggesting it represents an incident of a purported ‘Bhagwa love trap’ from India. Let’s examine the veracity of this claim.
Upon conducting an internet search using relevant keywords, we discovered multiple news articles from Bangladeshi media websites (here, here, and here) that feature the same viral footage. These articles reveal that the incident took place in 2016 in the Barisal district of Bangladesh. The individual involved in the video was identified as Nurul Haque, who held the position of head teacher at Sonar Bangla Secondary School in Barisal district. It was reported that Haque had established a private coaching centre for girls in a rented room adjacent to the school, where the video was recorded. Legal action was initiated by the authorities in response to this incident. This video doesn’t show any alleged ‘Bhagwa Love Trap’ incident in India.
Published (08 June 2023):
A video showing a woman’s deceased body discovered inside a suitcase is being circulated claiming it as an instance of an alleged ‘Bhagwa Love Trap’. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
FACTLY had previously debunked this video when it gained viral attention as an incident associated with alleged love jihad. The police investigation revealed that Rahul, an employee at a private company in Gurugram, murdered his wife Priyanka during a heated argument over her demands for television, mobile phone, and other items. Rahul then concealed the body inside a suitcase and disposed of it at IFFCO Chowk in Gurugram in October 2022. Rahul was subsequently arrested, and no communal angle was found in this case.
Published (08 June 2023):
A set of images featuring a wedding couple is circulating on social media, claiming that a Muslim woman named Ikra married a Hindu man named Rahul without her parents’ consent and that Ikra was subsequently burned after two years by her husband. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Muslim woman named Iqra who married a Hindu man Rahul was burned after two years by her husband in Mandsaur
Fact: Both Ishika (Iqra) and Rahul are alive. Ishika, in a video, denied the claim and assured viewers that she was safe and happy with Rahul. She also called for strict action against those who spread false news about her murder. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
An internet search using relevant keywords reveals that news websites such as News18 and News24 Online published visuals of the same couple. According to these reports, in September 2022 in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur, Iqra, a Muslim girl from Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, embraced Hinduism and married Rahul Verma, a Hindu man, as per Hindu customs. Before the marriage, Iqra converted to Hinduism and changed her name to Ishika. While Rahul’s family members agreed to the union, Iqra’s family members opposed the relationship. Despite Iqra’s attempts to persuade her family, she was unsuccessful, prompting her to flee her home. The couple underwent their wedding ceremony at Mandsaur’s Gayatri Parivar temple, following Vedic rituals. Chaitanya Sanatani, who had renounced Islam three months prior, played a crucial role in facilitating Ishika and Rahul’s marriage.
When social media posts depicting Ishika being harmed went viral, Chaitanya Sanatani clarified that the Mandsaur police had confirmed the well-being of both Ishika and her husband, dismissing the claim as misinformation. The Mandsaur police also released a video featuring Ishika and Rahul, which was shared by The Logical Indian. In the video, Ishika denied the claim and assured viewers that she was safe and happy with Rahul. She also called for strict action against those who spread false news about her murder.


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Old unrelated visuals shared as mysterious event in sky prior to recent Turkey Earthquake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 17, 2023
A video showing an indistinct object surrounded by a strange display of radiant light waves is being shared on social media claiming that it was filmed in the sky just prior to the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The unusual footage has captured the attention of many, and people are speculating about what it could be and whether there is any connection to the seismic events. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of a strange object emitting radiant light waves shortly before the recent earthquakes in turkey and Syria suggesting a possible connection to seismic activity
Fact: Visuals show the ‘Twilight phenomenon’ that occurred during the launch of Falcon 9 rocket’s launch from California in October 2018, when particles from missile or rocket propellant left in the vapor trail of a launch vehicle expand in the upper atmosphere, condense, and freeze. The plume of exhaust suspended in the sky against a dark background is then lit up by the high-altitude sunlight, resulting in a stunning and colourful display visible from the ground. This event has occurred previously on several occasions. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
A reverse image search of the keyframes extracted from the viral video led us to a YouTube video with the same visuals. This video was uploaded on 09 October 2018 and its description indicates that it documents the Falcon 9 rocket’s launch, which carried Argentina’s Satellite.
Taking a cue from this, we searched further to know more about this event. According to SpaceX, on 08 October 2018, a Falcon 9 rocket was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, carrying the ‘SAOCOM 1A’ satellite into orbit. Several people also shared videos of this mysterious phenomenon at that time. A few of them can be seen here and here.
So, what explains this strange Phenomenon?
According to Forbes, this occurrence is known as the ‘Twilight Phenomenon or Twilight effect’. It occurs when the unburned fuel particles in the rocket trail and water condense, freeze and then expand in the thinner upper atmosphere. Because rocket trails extend high into the stratosphere and mesosphere, they catch high-altitude sunlight long after the sun has set on the ground. The small exhaust particles diffract sunlight and produce pink, blue, green, and orange colours, making the twilight phenomenon all the more spectacular. The phenomenon typically occurs with launches that take place either 30 to 60 minutes before sunrise or after sunset when a booster rocket or missile rises out of the darkness and into a sunlit area, relative to an observer’s perspective on the ground. The picture given below explains this phenomenon.
While this event is considered uncommon, it is worth noting that comparable visuals have been recorded on several occasions across multiple countries. Some of them can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, the visuals shared in the post are old and unrelated to the recent earthquakes in Turkey, and Syria.

created: February 17, 2023


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Old video (24 March) shared with false claim: ‘New curfew timings from tomorrow in Telangana’. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 22, 2020
A press meet video of Telangana Chief Minister KCR is being shared widely on social media with a claim that he has announced new curfew timings in Telangana from tomorrow (23 June 2020) and that shops will be open from 9 AM to 6 PM. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post
Video of Telangana CM KCR announcing new curfew timings from tomorrow.
Fact: It is an old video. The video was clipped from CM KCR’s press meet on 24 March 2020. Also, no such new announcement has been made by the Telangana government recently. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched with the mentioned timings, it was found that similar timings were announced by the Telangana Chief Minister in his press meet on 24 March 2020. The recorded live of his press meet on 24 March 2020 can be found on the ‘Telangana CMO’ official Facebook page. In the video, from 18:10 – 19:20, the posted video can be watched. So, the posted video was clipped from the CM KCR’s press meet on 24 March 2020. The same video can be also found on YouTube. All his press meets related to COVID-19 can be found here. It can be found that his last press meet regarding COVID-19 was on 18 May 2020.
The Telangana Government’s circulars and government orders regarding COVID-19 can be found here. It can be seen that no such decision of imposing new curfew timings was taken. Also, today CM KCR was on his visit to the family of martyr Colonel Santosh Babu in Suryapet, which can be watched here. The night curfew will remain in force from  9 PM to 5 AM daily, until further notice from the government.
To sum it up, new curfew timings were not announced by Telangana CM KCR. The posted video was clipped from CM KCR’s press meet on 24 March 2020.
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Old video and photos are shared as the current farmers protest in Panipat - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 24, 2020
A collage with a group of photos and a video is being shared on social media claiming them as the pictures and video footage of farmers protest in Panipat. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Photos and video footage of farmers protest in Panipat.
Fact: All the photos and video shared in the post are of old incidents of farmers protest at different places in the country. These photos and video have nothing to do with the ongoing farmer’s protests against the agriculture bills passed by the Government of India. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Video:
On reverse image search, a photo with similar visual in the video is found in an article published by ‘ZEE News’ website on ‘21 February 2019’. It is reported in the article that as talks between farmers outfits and Maharashtra Government failed, farmers in large numbers started ‘Kisan Long March’ from Nashik towards Mumbai. The same video was shared in a tweet posted by the official twitter handle of the CPI(M) party. One of the visuals in the video can also be seen in an article published by ‘Scroll.in’ website on ‘22 February 2019’. These indicate that the video is not from the recent protests.
#KisanLongMarch is on its way leaving Nashik towards Mumbai despite refusal of permission by police. #KisanMarchesAgain #BJPBetraysKisans pic.twitter.com/cFUH6lLh9V
Image1:
On reverse image search, the similar photo was found in an article published in ‘YourStory’ website on ‘13 March 2018’. This article was about the farmers march to Mumbai in 2018. It has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers protest against the three agriculture bills passed by the Government of India.
Image 2:
On reverse image search, similar photo is found in an article published by Sabrang website on ‘11 September 2017’. In the article, it is mentioned as a massive protest organized by the Rajasthan farmers on curbing their democratic freedoms by the BJP Government. The same photo was shared by a user on his Facebook page in 2017.
Image 3:
On reverse image search of the photos shared in this image, similar photos were found in the articles published by different news websites. They can be seen here, here, here, and here. All these articles shared these photos in reference to farmers struggle in the country. These photos are old and have nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protests.
To sum it up, old video and photos are falsely shared as the farmers protest in Panipat.

created: September 24, 2020


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Old video clips falsely shared as ‘Col Santhosh Babu’s conversation with China Soldiers’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 21, 2020
A video is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows Col Santosh Babu’s conversation with the Chinese Army. Col Santosh Babu was martyred recently in the India-China border clash at the Galwan valley in Ladakh. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Video of Col Santosh Babu’s conversation with the Chinese Army.
Fact: There are two different video clips in the posted video. While one video clip is on the internet at least since January 2020 and is related to Indo-Tibetan Border Police (Col Santosh belongs to the Indian Army), the other video is on the internet at least since July 2017. Hence the claim made is FALSE.
The posted video has a logo of ‘ABN’ on it. So, when searched if ‘ABN’ (a Telugu news channel) has posted the video, it was found that ‘ABN Telugu’ has uploaded the same video (archived) on its YouTube channel on 18 June 2020 with the same title (‘Santhosh Babu Conversation with China Soldiers’). The posted video has two different video clips. Let’s check each of them separately.
Video 1:
When the screenshots of the video were run through the Google Reverse Image Search, the same video was found to be uploaded on YouTube with the title – ‘Chinese army arguing with Indo Tibetan Border Police (I.T.B.P.) in Border of Arunachal Pradesh’ on 13 January 2020. So, it is not related to the recent incident at the Galwan valley. Also, it can be observed that ‘I.T.B.P’ (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) is written on the shoulder badge of Indian officer talking in the video. I.T.B.P guards the Indo-China border from Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Jachep La in Arunachal Pradesh covering 3488 km. It is one of the ‘Central Armed of Police Forces’, which works under the ‘Ministry of Home Affairs’. But, Col Santosh Babu belongs to the Indian Army’s ’16 Bihar Regiment’. So, the video does not show Col Santosh Babu talking to the Chinese Army.
Video 2:
The second video clip, which begins at 1:59 in the posted video, is also an old video. The same video was found to be posted by ‘Deccan Herald’ on 07 July 2017 with the title – ‘Watch: Jawans stop Chinese soldiers from entering Indian territory Part 1’. They have mentioned that they could not verify the authenticity of the video. But, as the video is in circulation at least from July 2017, it can be concluded that it has no connection to the recent incident at the Galwan valley in which Col Santosh Babu was killed.
Also, the two video clips were previously debunked by FACTLY when they were shared with other false claims. The fact-check articles can be read here and here.
To sum it up, old video clips falsely shared as ‘Col Santhosh Babu’s conversation with China Soldiers’.
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Old video falsely shared as a recent procession in Ayodhya demanding a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 17, 2022
A video is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows a recent procession in Ayodhya demanding a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ (Hindu nation). Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a recent procession in Ayodhya demanding a ‘Hindu Rashtra’.
Fact: The video is from a procession in 2018. The major demand was for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
In the posted video, it can be heard that the procession is being conducted under the leadership of Pravin Togadia. When searched with keywords, the same video was found to be uploaded on Facebook in October 2018. So, the posted video is an old one.
Many similar videos of the procession led by Pravin Togadia in October 2018 can be found to be uploaded by several news channels. Some of those videos can be seen here, here, here, and here. Pravin Togadia’s press release regarding this programme can be seen here. The major demand was for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya (This was before the Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya Ram Mandir case, which was given in November 2019).
Also, when another video went viral previously with a similar claim, FACTLY has debunked it and written a fact-check article, which can be read here. However, the demand for a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ is frequently made by various groups. Some of those incidents can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, an old video is being falsely shared as a recent procession in Ayodhya demanding a ‘Hindu Rashtra’.


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Old video falsely shared as a video of 20,000 Nihang Sikhs going to Delhi to support farmers’ protest - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 3, 2020
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows 20,000 Nihang Sikhs marching towards Delhi on 2,000 horses to support farmers protesting against the new agricultural laws. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of 20,000 Nihang Sikhs marching towards Delhi on 2,000 horses to support protesting farmers.
Fact: The video is an old one. It is being shared on the internet at least since 2018. So, it has no connection with the recent farmers’ protest in Delhi. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through Google Reverse Image Search, the same video was found to be uploaded on YouTube in 2018. Several old posts of the same video were found to be uploaded by multiple users as a video related to ‘Delhi Fateh Diwas 2018’. Information about the ‘Delhi Fateh Diwas’ can be read here and here. While the exact details regarding the video were not found, it can be concluded that it has no connection with the recent protests as it is on the internet much before the new agricultural laws were passed in the Parliament.
To sum it up, an old procession video is being falsely shared as a video of 20,000 Nihang Sikhs marching towards Delhi on 2,000 horses to support protesting farmers.

created: December 3, 2020


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Old video falsely shared as army personnel dancing after reclaiming the land in Eastern Ladakh - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 1, 2020
A video of a group of army personnel dancing is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows personnel belonging to Special Frontier Force dancing after reclaiming the land under Chinese occupation in Eastern Ladakh. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Video of Special Frontier Force personnel dancing after reclaiming the land under Chinese occupation in the Eastern Ladakh.
Fact: As per the recent update by the Ministry of Defence, the Indian forces have thwarted the intrusion of People Liberation Army (PLA) of China in Eastern Ladakh on the night of 29/30 August 2020. But the posted video is on the internet at least since 27 August 2020. So, the video is not related to the mentioned incident. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through Google Reverse Image Search, no specific results were found in the search results. But a flag similar to the Tibetan flag can be seen in the video. So, when searched with the keywords, an extended version of the same video was found on YouTube. The video was posted on 27 August 2020. Also, many others have posted the same video on Facebook on 27 August 2020. But, as per the recent update by the Ministry of Defence, the Indian forces have thwarted the intrusion of People Liberation Army (PLA) of China in Eastern Ladakh on the night of 29/30 August 2020. Hence this video is on the internet much before the incident occurred.
Also, it has been reported by multiple news agencies that some key heights along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) were captured by a unit of Special Frontier Force (SFF). More details regarding the Special Frontier Force can be read here.
To sum it up, this video of army personnel dancing is not related to the 29/30 August 2020 clash in Eastern Ladakh.
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created: September 1, 2020


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Old Video falsely shared as BJP leaders pleading Rajnath Singh to revoke the new farm laws - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 15, 2021
A video telecast on ‘PTC NEWS’ channel is being shared on social media claiming it as the visuals of BJP leaders begging Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to abolish the new farm laws. ‘PTC NEWS’ published this video on 11 January 2021 on their official YouTube channel. In the wake of ongoing farmers’ protests over the new farm laws, this post is going viral on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of  BJP leaders begging Rajnath Singh to abolish the new farm laws.
Fact: Video shared in the post is on the internet at least since August 2018. Earlier, the same video went viral claiming it as the visuals of 88 BJP leaders pleading Rajnath Singh to withdraw citizenship amendment acts in 2020. This video has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protests. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, similar visuals were found in a video shared by a user in his tweet on 07 August 2018. The user mentioned it as the visuals of BJP leaders pleading Rajnath Singh to revoke the SC/ST acts passed by the Government of India.
A video with similar visuals was uploaded on YouTube on 04 September 2018, with the title ‘BJP MLA Rajender Singh gave his resignation to Union Minister Rajnath Singh’. In the video, it is mentioned that BJP leader Rajendra Singh tendered his resignation to Union Minister Rajnath Singh during his protest against the SC/ST acts passed by the Government of India. Similar videos were published on social media in 2018 and they can be seen here and here. Though we could not ascertain the exact details of the video, it can be confirmed that the video shared in the post is an old one.
Earlier, when similar visuals were falsely linked to the protests against the citizenship amendment act, FACTLY published a fact-check article about this video.
Amid the ongoing farmers’ protests over the new farm laws, few leaders from the BJP and its allies have resigned in support of farmers’ protests. News reports about these leaders’ resignation can be seen here, here and here.
To sum it up, an old video is being falsely shared as the visuals of BJP leaders while pleading Rajnath Singh to revoke the new farm laws.

created: January 15, 2021


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Old video falsely shared as BJP workers distributing money for Yogi Adityanath’s rally in West Bengal - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 4, 2021
A video is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows BJP workers distributing money to bring the crowd for Yogi Adityanath’s rally in West Bengal. Recently, Yogi Adityanath campaigned for BJP in the poll-bound West Bengal. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: BJP workers distributing money to bring the crowd for Yogi Adityanath’s rally in West Bengal.
Fact: The posted video is an old one. The video is being shared on the internet at least since October 2019. So, it is not related to Yogi Adityanath’s recent campaign in West Bengal. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through Yandex Reverse Image Search, the same video was found to be uploaded on YouTube in October 2019. Also, an extended version of the same video was found on YouTube with the title – ‘जन आशीर्वाद यात्रा: रघुबर दास सरकार की नयी योजना- रैली में आओ Rs 500 पाओ!’ (Translation – Jan Aashirwad Yatra: New scheme by Raghubar Das Government – Come to rally and get Rs 500).
While FACTLY could not confirm the exact location and context of the video, it can be observed that  ‘Abki Baar 65 Paar’ (in Hindi) is written on the t-shirts of the people in the video. ‘#AbkiBaar65Paar’ is a slogan used by BJP in their campaign for the Jharkhand Elections -2019.
To sum it up, an old video is being falsely shared as BJP workers distributing money for Yogi Adityanath’s rally in West Bengal.


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Old video falsely shared as migrants with no social distancing at the UP border - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 19, 2020
A video of a huge crowd pushing one another for space is being shared on Facebook claiming that the incident happened at the UP border during the current lockdown. FACTLY has found the video to be old and not related to any recent incident. The video was found to exist on the internet at least since October 2019. FACTLY could not find the original context of the video. The video is being shared in the wake of news reports that the UP Police have stopped migrants at the state border as they lacked valid passes for entry. Also, there are other videos of people not following social distancing in UP, but the posted video is an old one.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1.  Earlier video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ9X7b7STqw
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Old video falsely shared as ‘People of Italy saying goodbye to the world as they couldn’t control COVID-19’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 22, 2020
A video is being shared widely on social media with the claim that people of Italy are saying goodbye to the world by standing outside a masjid in Milan as they couldn’t control the spread of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 virus) in their country. ‘FACTLY’ has found that the video is at least five months old and is not related to any recent incident. The video is found to exist on the internet at least since 26 November 2019. The first COVID-19 case in the world was reported in China in December 2019. So, an old video is being shared in the context of COVID-19 outbreak. Also, the people in the video are singing ‘Bella ciao‘ (Italian protest folk song).
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. Earlier Source – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSl4hGJ0ioE&t=3s
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Old video featuring false food tests is being shared in the name of a non-existent organisation - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 15, 2022
A video purportedly identifying fake foods by conducting various tests is being widely shared on social media claiming that the video is made by Bangalore Robotics Science and Research Centre.
Claim: Video made by Bangalore Robotics Science and Research Centre on how to identify adulterated foods.
Fact: There is no such research centre by the name Bangalore Robotics Science and Research Centre, and the video is uploaded by ‘Blossom’ YouTube channel in 2019. Several food experts and media agencies proved that most of the tests conducted in the video are either false or misleading. Following this, ‘Blossom’ removed this video from its official YouTube and Facebook channels. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
First, we searched for ‘Bangalore Robotics Science and Research Centre’ but couldn’t find any research centre by that name. Then, we searched the internet with relevant keywords and found the full length video posted on the Twitter account named ‘Blossom’ on 04 June 2019.
Is your food fake or real? Find out with these easy tests at home! #blossomhacks Tag us, if you repost!! pic.twitter.com/vJ6hWHvIuO
Taking cue from this, we searched more about the food tests conducted in this video and found a video by ‘Ann Reardon’, a qualified food scientist and dietician, debunking the claims made in the viral video.
Similarly, Snopes, BBC, Forbes published detailed articles exposing these hoaxes. Following this, ‘Blossom’ removed this video from its official YouTube and Facebook channels.
To sum it up, a proven false food testing video is being shared in the name of non-existent organisation.

created: November 15, 2022


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Old video from a card game tournament is shared as recent visuals from a casino in Saudi Arabia - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 20, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as recent visuals from a casino in Saudi Arabia. This video shows a large gathering of Muslims playing a card game in a big hall. Sharing the same video, a few other social media posts expressed their displeasure with the Saudi Government for imposing COVID-19 restrictions in visiting Mecca but allowing a large gathering in a casino. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent visuals of a large group of Muslims playing at a Casino in Saudi Arabia.
Fact: The video shared in the post is an old one. This video shows a 2018 incident of hundreds of Saudi Muslims participating in the ‘Baloot Championship’ tournament organised by the Saudi Arabia General Sports Authority. This tournament was held at King Abdullah Studies and Research Centre in Riyadh. Baloot is a popular card game that is being played for more than 100 years in Saudi Arabia. Casino or gambling are strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, it is found out that videos with similar visuals are being circulated on social media at least since April 2018. They can be seen here and here. These users mentioned it as the visuals of a card game tournament held in Saudi Arabia’s capital city Riyadh. When we searched for more sources using relevant keywords, a video with similar visuals was found in an article published by ‘The News International’ website on 06 April 2018. This article reported it as the visuals of the first-ever ‘Baloot championship’ held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This championship was reportedly held at King Abdullah Studies and Research Centre in Riyadh. Baloot, also well known as belote, is a popular card game for Gulf youth. The Saudi Arabia Kingdom’s General Sports Authority had organised this tournament for the first time on 04 April 2018. A few more visuals from the ‘2018 Baloot championship’ can be seen here and here.
Reporting the details and images of this tournament, the ‘Saudi Press Agency’ website published an article on 04 April 2018. A total of 12,288 players had reportedly participated in this ‘Baloot Championship’. According to the details provided in the article, Saudi Arabia General Sports Authority had announced a reward of about one million Saudi Riyals for the first four prize winners of the tournament. Reporting the same, several other news websites have also published articles in 2018. They can be read here and here. According to these reports, several prominent celebrities, political leaders, and former football players have attended this card tournament.  The Saudi Government had conducted its last ‘Baloot Championship’ tournament in February 2020.
Saudi Arabia strictly adheres to its constitution that is written based on Islam’s holy text, Quran. Quran strictly prohibits gambling games or Casino. Saudi Arabia prohibits casinos and other gambling games that are against the Quran’s principles.  On the other hand, Baloot is a traditional card game that is being played more than 100 years ago in Saudi Arabia.
To sum it up, an old video from a card game tournament is falsely shared as the recent visuals of a casino in Saudi Arabia.

created: December 20, 2021


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Old video from a Ganapati Visarjan event is shared as Ram Navami celebrations in Mumbai - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 14, 2022
A video through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that the visuals are from the recent Ram Navami celebrations in Mumbai. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent video of Ram Navami celebrations in Mumbai.
Fact: The video is old and not a recent one. The visuals are from Chinchpoklicha Chintamani Mandal Ganapati Visarjan in 2019. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When the viral video is seen clearly, a white cap with a logo like Chinchpoklicha Chintamani Mandal was found.
When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video with relevant keywords, the same video was found in a Facebook post uploaded by Chinchpoklicha Chintamani Mandal on 02 April 2020. Hence, the video is old and is not part of the Ram Navami celebrations in 2022. According to the Facebook post, the video is shared as part of the Ram Navami celebrations in 2020 in Mumbai. However, due to a nationwide lockdown in April 2020, it would not have been possible for such a large gathering. Moreover, Chinchpoklicha Chintamani Mandal which is in Maharashtra largely does Ganapati Visarjan with large crowds every year. The Visarjan video from 2021 can be seen here.
The Quint had reached out to a committee member of Chinchpoklicha Chintamani Mandal, who confirmed that the viral video is from 2019’s Ganapati Visarjan.
Some of the visuals of Chinchpoklicha Chintamani Visarjan in 2019, which are similar to the viral video, can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, an old video from a Ganapati Visarjan event is shared as Ram Navami celebrations in Mumbai.


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Old video from Ahmedabad is being shared as ‘Birds flocking on Chandigarh’s Kalka Road during the lockdown’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 13, 2020
A video of birds flocking together in the sky, while the road seen in the video is seen to be empty, is being shared widely on social media with the claim that the incident took place on Chandigarh’s Kalka Road during the existing nationwide lockdown. But, ‘FACTLY’ has found the claim to be false. As per 13 February 2020 article of ‘Times of India’, the video shows birds flocking together at a riverfront in Ahmedabad (Gujarat). So, the video is not from Chandigarh (Punjab) and is of an incident prior to the announcement of nationwide lockdown which came into effect from 25 March 2020.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact – https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/watch-hundreds-of-birds-flocking-together-leave-spectators-spellbound/videoshow/74111990.cms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSdXynpQkUA
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Old video from Andhra Pradesh shared as the recent visuals of Muslims disrupting a Hindu rally in Maharashtra - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 3, 2023
A video is being shared on social media claiming that it shows recent visuals of Muslims disrupting a Hindu rally in Maharashtra. In the wake of Hindu organizations recently organizing a massive rally under the banner of ‘Hindu Jan Aakrosh Morcha’ in Mumbai, this video is going viral on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent video of Muslims disrupting a Hindu rally in Maharashtra.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows a verbal spat between Hindu and Muslim groups during the Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The incident took place in April 2022. The video is old and has nothing to do with Maharashtra. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots of the video, a video with similar visuals was found posted by a Facebook user on 22 April 2022. This user mentioned it as the visuals of Muslims making religious slogans and obscene hand gestures during the Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. Sharing a photo showing similar visuals, News 18 published an article reporting that BJP Leaders had claimed stone pelting during the shobha yatra in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore.
Reporting the complete details of the incident, several news websites published articles in April 2022. They can be seen here and here. According to these reports, a verbal spat had taken place between the Hindu and Muslim groups while Hanuman Shobha Yatra was crossing the Mosque located at the Nellore’s Court Compound Main Road. While the yatra was crossing the mosque, the people who participated in the rally reportedly increased the volume of the audio system and blew continuous horns of vehicles by making Hindu slogans. Responding to the signs from members of the rally, the Muslims gathered in the mosque shouted slogans of “Allahu Akbar” in a high tone and one of the Muslims allegedly made a vulgar gesture with his middle finger. Nellore police officials denied BJP’s claims of stone pelting during Shobha Yatra. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post is old, and not from Maharashtra.
To sum it up, an old video from Andhra Pradesh was shared as the recent visuals of Muslims disrupting a Hindu rally held in Maharashtra.

created: February 3, 2023


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Old video from Assam shared as the recent visuals of a leopard attack on a car in Mumbai - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 24, 2023
A video is being shared on social media claiming it is the recent visuals of a leopard attack on a four-wheeler in the Goregaon area in Mumbai. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent video of a leopard attack on a car in Goregaon, Mumbai.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows old footage of a leopard jumping over a barbed wire fence and attacking a four-wheeler in Jorhat, Assam. The incident shown in the video took place in December 2022. The video does not show a leopard attack in the Goregaon area in Mumbai. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On reverse image search of the screenshots of the video, a photo showing similar visuals of a leopard attacking a four-wheeler car was found in a news article published in December 2022. This news website reported it is the visuals from Jorhat city in Assam. When we searched for further sources using this information, we found the same video in an article published by the NDTV news website on 27 December 2022. ‘NDTV’ reported it is the visuals of a leopard jumping over a barbed wire fence and attacking a four-wheeler in Jorhat, Assam.
As per these reports, at least 15 people including forest officials and the residents of Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI) were injured in a series of attacks by a leopard on the prowl in Assam’s Jorhat. Reporting the complete details of the incident, several other news websites have also published articles and videos in December 2022. They can be seen here, here and here.
Lately, there are news reports about a leopard attacking street dogs in Shirur town in the Pune district near Mumbai. But the video shared in the post is old and is from Assam, not from Mumbai as claimed in the post.
To sum it up, an old video from Assam was shared as the recent visuals of a leopard attack on a car in Mumbai.


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Old video from Bangladesh is shared as people throwing out a Muslim woman from a bus for wearing Hijab - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 4, 2022
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as recent visuals of pro-Hindu activists throwing a Muslim woman out of a bus for wearing a Hijab. This video shows a burqa-clad woman being thrown out from a running bus. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of pro-Hindu activists pushing a Muslim woman out of a bus for wearing a Hijab.
Fact: This video shows an old incident that took place in the Rohitpur area in Keraniganj, Bangladesh. In March 2021, on the Dhaka-Nawabganj Road, a speech-impaired woman was thrown out from a bus for not paying the bus fare. Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) team had immediately arrested the bus driver and cleaner involved in this incident. The video shared in the post is from Bangladesh and has nothing to do with the ongoing Hijab row in India. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, a video with similar visuals was found published by the ‘Dhaka Post’ news channel on 08 March 2021. ‘Dhaka Post’ reported in the video that a speech-impaired woman was thrown out of a bus for not paying the bus fare. This incident reportedly took place at Rohitpur area on the Dhaka-Nawabganj Road in Keraniganj, Bangladesh. A few other Bangladesh news channels have also shared this video with a similar description. They can be seen here and here.
Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) team immediately arrested the driver and helper of the ‘N Malik’ transport bus for pushing a woman out from the running bus. RAB reportedly seized the bus from which the woman was pushed out. Reporting the details of the incident, several Bangladesh news websites published articles in March 2021. They can be seen here, here, and here. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post is from Bangladesh and not related to the ongoing Hijab row in India.
To sum it up, an old video from Bangladesh is shared as Hindu activists pushing a Muslim woman out of a bus for wearing Hijab.


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Old video from Bangladesh shared as visuals of Muslims blocking an army ambulance in West Bengal - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 20, 2023
A video is being shared on social media claiming that the video shows Muslims blocking an army vehicle that is taking an injured army soldier to a hospital in West Bengal. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Muslims attacking an army vehicle which is taking an injured soldier to a hospital in West Bengal.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows old visuals of Muslims attacking an army ambulance in Bangladesh. The video shared in the post is old and from Bangladesh, not from the West Bengal state in India. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On observing the video carefully, we noticed that the logos with crossed swords seen on the army vehicle and on the uniforms worn by soldiers represent the official army logo of the Bangladesh army.
When we searched for further sources of the video using relevant keywords on the internet, a video with similar visuals was found published by a YouTube channel ‘The Bangladesh Defence Analyst’ on 29 March 2021. This YouTube channel published the video with the title, “Islamic extremists in Bangladesh fail to stop Bangladesh Army ambulance.” A few other Facebook users have also shared the video mentioning that the incident had taken place on Hathazari Road in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Another video showing the riots that took place on Hathazari Road in March 2021 can be seen here. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post is old and from Bangladesh, not from West Bengal state in India.
To sum it up, an old video from Bangladesh is shared as the visuals of Muslims blocking an army ambulance in West Bengal.


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Old video from Bangladesh is shared as visuals of Anil Upadhyay, a fictional Congress politician, shooting a deer - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 8, 2022
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as visuals of Congress leader Anil Upadhyay shooting a deer in a park. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Congress leader Anil Upadhyay shooting a deer in a park.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows an old incident that took place in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The video shows Moin Uddin, an Australia-based Bangladeshi, slaughtering a deer on his unauthorized Hillsdale farm in Chittagong. This incident took place in June 2015. Also, there is no Congress MLA with the name Anil Upadhyay. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, videos with similar visuals were found posted on social media in 2019. A few of them can be seen here and here. While responding to one of such videos, IFS officer Praveen Kaswan tweeted that the video is from Bangladesh and the man was identified as Moin Uddin at the Hillsdale Farm in Chittagong.
This video is being circulated from last one week. I have clarified it many times it is from Bangladesh. When it surfaced, msg was shared with Bangladesh authorities. The person was identified as Moin Uddin at Hillsdale Farm in Chittagong, Bangladesh. https://t.co/VZmchkTcVw
When we searched for more details using these keywords, a photo with a similar visual was found in an article published by the ‘Daily Star’ news website on 12 July 2015. According to the article, Moin Uddin, an Australia-based Bangladeshi, slaughtered a deer on his Hillsdale Farm in Chittagong and later released a video clip of his act on social media. This incident reportedly took place in June 2015. Amid a storm of criticism, the Chittagong Forest authorities filed a criminal complaint against Moin Uddin and seized 16 deer from his farm.
Several news websites have published articles reporting this incident in 2015. They can be seen here and here. On 13 July 2015, Moin Uddin posted on Facebook defending his act. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post is old and is from Bangladesh.
Also, when we searched on the ‘My Neta’ website about ‘Anil Upadhyay’, it was found that there is no Congress MLA with the name ‘Anil Upadhyay’. There are two persons with that name in the search results but neither of them belongs to INC (Indian National Congress). Earlier, when several other videos claiming to be related to ‘BJP MLA Anil Upadhyay’ and ‘Congress MLA Anil Upadhyay’ were shared on social media, FACTLY has debunked them. The fact-check articles can be read here, here, and here.
To sum it up, an old video of a Bangladesh man slaughtering a deer is shared in the name of Anil Upadhyay, a fictional politician.


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Old video from Bihar shared as visuals of people blocking entry of BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 28, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as the recent visuals from Uttar Pradesh where people are seeen blocking entry to BJP leaders in their village. In the wake of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022, this post is being shared on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of people blocking BJP election campaign in Uttar Pradesh.
Fact: The video shows Bihar’s Devpar village where people blocked entry to Kalyanpur constituency MLA and JDU leader Maheshwar Hazari. This incident took place while Maheshwar Hazari was passing through Devpar village to ask people to vote for him in the Bihar Assembly Elections in 2020. The video shared in the post is old and has nothing to do with the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, a video with similar visuals was found published on the ‘Navbharat Times’ news website on 20 October 2020. ‘Navbharat Times’ reported it as the visuals of people surrounding JDU leader and former Bihar Minister Maheshwar Hazari’s convoy in Samastipur district, Bihar.
When we searched for more details using these keywords, we found similar visuals in an article published by the ‘Aaj Tak’ news website on 19 October 2020. According to the details mentioned in the article, people of Devpar village in the Kalyanpur constituency surrounded JDU leader Maheshwar Hazari while he was passing through the village to ask for votes in the Bihar State Assembly Elections in 2020. Devpar villagers denied entry to Maheshwar Hazari and reportedly questioned about the development works he did in the past 10 years. Maheshwar Hazari got off the bike and urged people to explain their problems. While failing to cool down the people’s anger, Maheshwar Hazari returned from Devpar village. Reporting this information, several other news outlets have published articles in 2020. They can be read here and here.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had also tweeted this video on 19 October 2020. JDU leader Maheshwar Hazari is now presently working as the Deputy Speaker of the Bihar Vidhan Sabha. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post is related to an old election campaign in Bihar.
बिहार सरकार के मंत्री और कल्याणपुर विधानसभा क्षेत्र से 10 वर्ष से विधायक महेश्वर हजारी को आक्रोशित जनता ने सड़क नहीं तो वोट नहीं बोल कर अपने गांव से भगा दिया।
नीतीश कुमार जी के कागजी विकास की पोल खुल चुकी है। चाहे वो चमकी बुख़ार हो, जल जमाव हो, बाढ़ हो, सुखाड़ हो, कोरोना हो। pic.twitter.com/w219uOcmuQ
To sum it up, an old video from Bihar is being shared as visuals of people blocking entry of BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh.

created: October 28, 2021


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Old video from Bikaner shared as recent visuals of vehicles being washed away in the flooded streets of Mumbai - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 28, 2022
A video is being widely shared on social media claiming it as recent visuals of vehicles being washed away in the flooded streets of Mumbai. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of vehicles being washed away in the flooded streets of Mumbai.
Fact: The video shows old visuals of vehicles being washed away in a flooded street in the Kote Gate area of Bikaner, Rajasthan. This incident took place in August 2019. The video shared in the post is old and has nothing to do with Mumbai. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, similar visuals were found in videos posted by a few Facebook users in August 2019. They can be seen here and here. These Facebook users shared this video describing it as the visuals from the Kote Gate area of Bikaner in Rajasthan. A journalist also shared this video with a similar description in August 2019.
When we searched with relevant keywords on the internet, a video showing similar visuals of vehicles being washed away in a flooded street was found published by the ‘Rajasthan Tak’ YouTube channel on 01 August 2019. This news channel reported it as a video from Bikaner city in Rajasthan.
Reporting this incident of vehicles being washed away in flooded streets of Bikaner, the ‘Patrika’ news website also published an article on 01 August 2019. Also, when one observes the video carefully, one could see the hoardings of the ‘Theen Bhayiyo Ki Dukaan’ and ‘Khatri Cloth stores’ beside the flooded road seen in the video. Both these stores are located at Kem road in Kotak Gate area in Bikaner. For further clarification regarding this video, the ‘Jagran’ news website contacted the ‘Theen Bhayiyo Ka Dukaan’ owner Kishore Kumar. Speaking to ‘Jagran’, Kishore Kumar said, “The video is from Bikaner. This is a three-year-old video. Earlier, the same video was made viral in the name of Sri Ganganagar”.
News articles that reported the recent heavy rainfall in Mumbai can be seen here and here. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shows an old incident from Bikaner, not from Mumbai.
To sum it up, an old video from Bikaner is shared as recent visuals of vehicles being washed away in the flooded streets in Mumbai


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Old video from ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests falsely linked to US Capitol building protest - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 11, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming that a man with Batman attire joined the protests at US Capitol building in Washington DC. In the video, a man in Batman attire is seen joining a protest. On ‘06 January 2021’, a pro-Trump mob stormed at Capitol building in Washington DC. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Batman joining the protests at Capitol building in Washington DC.
Fact: Video shared in the post is from the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests held at Philadelphia City Hall during 2020. Bob Gable, the person dressed in Batman attire shared this video on his social media handles during May 2020. This video has nothing to do with the recent pro-Trump mob attack on US Capitol building. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post using appropriate keywords, a video with similar visuals is found in an article published by ‘The Philadelphia Inquirer’ news website on ‘12 June 2020’. In the article, it is mentioned that a man dressed up in Batman hero attire, joined ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests at Philadelphia City Hall during May 2020. It is reported that a 43-year old Bob Gable, who is well known as Bucks County Batman, joined the protests held for the death of George Floyd in Batman attire in Philadelphia city in the US state of  Pennsylvania. ‘The Philadelphia Inquirer’ news website published a detailed article about Bob Gable on their website.
Bob Gable shared the same video on his YouTube and Instagram pages on ‘30 May 2020’. They can be seen here and here. ‘Global News’ website on ‘04 June 2020’, published an article about people with superhero attires joining the ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests at different parts of the United States. Other news articles about ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests held in Philadelphia can be seen here and here.
On ‘06 January 2020’, Pro-Trump rioters stormed the US Capitol building in different superhero costumes. But, the video shared in the post is an old one.
To sum it up, an old video of a man joining ‘Black Lives Matter’ protest in Batman attire shared as the recent video shot during US Capitol building attack.

created: January 11, 2021


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Old Video from Colombia Falsely Shared as Alleged Love Jihad Crime in Jabalpur - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 16, 2023
A video of a woman lying in a pool of blood is being widely shared, claiming that it depicts the brutal murder of a Hindu woman by her Muslim lover in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals of a Hindu girl lying in a pool of blood after being murdered by her Muslim lover in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
Fact: The video shows an incident from Colombia where a man named Jesús Salvador Tovar stabbed his ex- partner Sandra Milena Altamar Ojeda with a sharp object during a conciliation hearing at the La Paz District Court in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, on 16 November 2022. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We conducted a reverse image search on the viral visuals and came across several media reports (here, here, and here) published by Colombian news websites, all featuring the same visuals.
According to these reports, a man named Jesús Salvador Tovar was apprehended for stabbing his former partner, Sandra Milena Altamar Ojeda, with a sharp object during a conciliation hearing at the La Paz District Court in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, on 16 November 2022. The woman sustained serious injuries and was promptly transported to a hospital for treatment. Following the incident, the man admitted to the attack during police interrogation, leading the judge to order his incarceration.
Furthermore, our investigation revealed that the screenshot of Jagran news headline overlaid on viral video pertains to a separate murder incident in Jabalpur that occurred last year. The perpetrator, in that case, was identified as Hemant Rajendra Bhadane, and the victim was named Shilpa. FACTLY had already debunked this video when it previously went viral, refuting claims of it being related to alleged love jihad.
Moreover, it has been determined that the audio in the viral video has been tampered with and replaced with Hindi audio, creating a false impression that the incident took place in India. Additionally, upon closer inspection, the text on the police officers’ uniforms reads ‘ POLICÍA,’ which is the Spanish word for ‘POLICE.’ (Spanish being the most widely spoken language in Colombia)
To sum it up, an old unrelated video from Colombia is being shared as an incident Muslim Man murdering a Hindu girl in Jabalpur.


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Old video from Dehradun is shared as recent hate speech against Hindus by Delhi Qazi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 21, 2022
A video is being shared widely in the context of the recent violence in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri. It is being claimed that the video shows Delhi Qazi giving a hate speech against the Hindus. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent video of Delhi Qazi giving a hate speech against the Hindus.
Fact: It is an old video. The video is not related to the recent violence in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri. The person talking in the video is Mufti Raees Ahmad Qasmi (Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Dehradun); he is not Delhi Qazi. The video is from 2019 when he spoke to the media in Dehradun in the context of the Tabrez Ansari lynching incident. A case was also booked against Mufti Raees Ahmad Qasmi after this speech. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When the screenshots of the video were run through Yandex Reverse Image Search, many similar videos were found to be published on YouTube in 2019. Some of those videos can be seen here, here, and here. One of the YouTube videos is titled – ‘#Moblynching के खिलाफ Mufti Rais Qasmi (Chief Mufti Uttarakhand) का बयान। Badri times’. So, it is an old video that is not related to the recent violence in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri.
The person talking in the video is Mufti Raees Ahmad Qasmi (Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, Dehradun); he is not a Delhi Qazi. An interview of Mufti Raees Ahmad Qasmi regarding his comments can be watched here. The video is from 2019 when he spoke to the media in Dehradun in the context of the Tabrez Ansari lynching incident.
A case was also booked against Mufti Raees Ahmad Qasmi after this speech. The news reports that report the incident can be read here and here.
To sum it up, an old video from Dehradun is shared as recent hate speech against Hindus by a Delhi Qazi.


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Old video from Ganesh immersion procession in Chitradurga portrayed as Hindu outfits protest against Harsha’s murder - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 24, 2022
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as visuals of thousands of pro-Hindu outfits protesting in Chitradurga condemning the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of pro-Hindu outfits protest in Chitradurga condemning the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows the Hindu Mahasabha Ganesh Visarjan procession held in Chitradurga, in October 2021. The video shared in the post is old and has nothing to do with the Bajrang Dal activist Harsha’s murder. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, videos with similar visuals were found posted by several social media users in October 2021. They can be seen here, here, and here. These social media users mentioned it as the visuals of the Hindu Mahasabha Ganesh Visarjan procession in Chitradurga.
The ‘Hindu Maha Ganapathi, Chitradurga’ Facebook page shared the same video and photos showing similar visuals on 02 October 2021. Several news websites have published articles reporting the 2021 Ganesh Visarjan celebrations in Chitradurga. They can be seen here and here.
Following the murder of Bajrang Dal activist Harsha in Shivamogga, pro-Hindu outfits are staging protests in different parts of Karnataka demanding capital punishment for the accused involved in Harsha’s murder. But the video shared in the post is old and not related to Harsha’s murder.
To sum it up, an old video of Ganesh Visarjan procession in Chitradurga falsely portrayed as a pro-Hindu activists’ protest against Harsha’s murder.

created: February 24, 2022


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Old video from Gujarat shared as visuals of a dead Christian family in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 31, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as the recent visuals of dead Christians in the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. This video shows a woman and her two children found hanging in their home. This post claim that the Taliban are going house to house and killing Christian families in Afghanistan. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a dead Christian family in the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Fact: This video shows an old incident that took place at Morbi city in Gujarat, India. The woman in the video killed her two daughters and committed suicide, suspecting her husband of an extra-marital affair. This video has nothing to do with the Taliban. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, a photo with similar visuals was found in an article published by the ‘News-18 Gujarathi’ news website on 02 May 2020. This article reported that a woman strangled  both her daughters and committed suicide in Gujarat. This incident reportedly took place at Morbi city in Gujarat.
When we searched for further details using these keywords, it is found out that ‘The Times of India’ had published an article by reporting the complete details of this incident. According to the article, Vishnu BC, a gym trainer was living with his wife Tulasi and his two daughters in a rented house in Ravipark society on Vavdi road in Morbi.  On 02 May 2020, while Vishnu went up to the terrace for a workout, Tulasi strangled both her daughters and later committed suicide by choking herself. This article reported that Tulasi took this drastic step suspecting her husband of having an extra-marital affair. Reporting the same, the ABP Asmita news channel published a video on 02 May 2020.
Earlier, when a similar post was shared with a claim that the Taliban was about to execute 229 Christian missionaries in Afghanistan, FACTLY published a fact-check article. It can be seen here.
To sum it up, an old suicide incident video from Gujarat falsely shared as the visuals of a dead Christian family in the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.


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Old video from Istanbul shared as visuals of Muslims offering Namaz on a busy street in India - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2022
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as visuals of Muslims offering Namaz on a busy street in India. The same video was sent to our WhatsApp Tipline (+91 92470 52470) number. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Muslims offering Namaz on the streets in India.
Fact: The video shared in the post shows an old incident that took place in Istanbul, Turkey. This prayer was held at the Tiryanki Hasan Pasha Street in Istanbul. This video has nothing to do with India. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, we could not find any reliable information about this video of Muslims offering Namaz on a street. When we observe the video carefully, one could see a few billboards above the commercial establishments. The names of all these billboards are written in the Turkish language.
A billboard on one of the shops shows, “Yücel par – Renault & Dacia”. When we searched for the location of the street using these keywords, it is found that the ‘Yücel par – Renault & Dacia” is a vehicle parts shop located at the Tiryanki Hasan Pasha Street in Istanbul, Turkey. The Google Street view of the exact location can be seen here. So, it is confirmed that the video shared in the post was shot in Turkey’s Istanbul, not in India.
Earlier, when a similar video of a man offering Namaz on a busy street in Istanbul was shared as an incident in London, FACTLY published a fact-check article debunking that information.
To sum it up, an old video from Istanbul is being circulated as visuals of Muslims offering Namaz prayers on a busy street in India.


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Old video from Jammu & Kashmir is shared as visuals of a mob pelting stones on police in Rajasthan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 6, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as the recent visuals of a mob, pelting stones on police in Jaipur, Rajasthan. In the wake of the recent mob attack on policemen in Jaipur, this post is being shared on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent video of a mob pelting stones on police in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Fact: The video shared in the post is an old one. This incident took place a few years ago at the Lal Chowk area in Anantnag city, Jammu and Kashmir. This video has nothing to do with Rajasthan. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, videos with similar visuals were found published on social media at least since 2017. They can be seen here and here. So, it is confirmed that the video shared in the post is an old one.
On observing the video carefully, we could see two adjacent shops with ‘Western Hosiery’ and ‘Sathoo Furnishings’ written on their boards. When we searched for the details of these showrooms using keywords, we found a similar image of these adjacent shops on the ‘Western Hosiery’ Facebook page. According to the description provided on this Facebook page, these shops are located in the Lal Chowk area in Anantnag, Jammu & Kashmir. The same image with a similar description was found on the ‘Alstrong Enterprises India Pvt Ltd’ Facebook page.
Also, we could see hoarding of ‘Vasco’ adjacent to a ‘BATA’ showroom in the video. By referring to the details provided on ‘Just Dial’ website, it is confirmed that the ‘Vasco Pasco’ shoe centre is also located at Lal Chowk in Anantnag.
The ‘India Today Fact-Check’ team contacted ‘Western Hoisery’ shop owner Khalid Sathoo for clarification regarding this video. Speaking to ‘India Today’, Khalid Sathoo said, “I was present in my shop when this whole thing happened. I remember on that day; some people were pelting stones towards the police forces. While this was going on, a police officer sought shelter in my shop and I tried to help him. When the stone pelters noticed this, they came running towards my shop to get hold of him”. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post is an old one and has nothing to do with Rajasthan.
To sum it up, an old video from Jammu & Kashmir is falsely shared as the visuals of a mob, pelting stones on police in Rajasthan.

created: October 6, 2021


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Old video from Jammu shared as the visuals of Madarsa students in Karnataka referring to an anonymous Muslim person as Prime Minister - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 14, 2023
A video is being shared on social media claiming that when a reporter asked students from an Islamic school (Madarsa) in Karnataka about the country’s Prime Minister, they referred to an anonymous person, Mohammed Aslam Hussain, as their Prime Minister. Sharing the video, the post claims that it is because of the new education policy of the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video showing Madarsa students in Karnataka referring to Mohammed Aslam Hussain as their Prime Minister of India.
Fact: The video shows a journalist interviewing students in a government school located in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. The video was captured by Amit Sharma, a journalist from Jammu, in August 2022. The video has nothing to do with Karnataka or the Siddaramaiah government. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On reverse image search of the screenshots of the video and by searching with relevant keywords on the internet, we found a Facebook post sharing the same video said to be published by a journalist named Amit Sharma in 2022. Amit Sharma, a journalist from Jammu, published this video on Facebook on 12 August 2022. Amit Sharma in the video reported that 7 standard children studying at a government school in the Rajouri district of Jammu do not even know the name of the Prime Minister of the country, and said they referred to an anonymous person Mohammed Aslam Hussain as their Prime Minister.
Amit Sharma shared the video, emphasizing that while the government makes bold statements regarding the quality of education in government schools, the actual situation on the ground tells a different story. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the video shared in the post is old and is from Jammu and Kashmir, not from Karnataka.
To sum it up, an old video from Jammu is shared as the visuals of Madarsa students in Karnataka referring to Mohammed Aslam Hussain as their Prime Minister.


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Old video from Jharkhand shared as recent visuals of helicopter showering flowers during ‘Hindu New Year’ celebrations in UP - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 5, 2022
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as visuals of a helicopter showering flowers on the crowd during the ‘Hindu New Year’ festival celebrations in Uttar Pradesh. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a chopper showering flowers on the crowd gathered to celebrate the ‘Hindu New Year’ festival in Uttar Pradesh.
Fact: The video shared in the post show visuals from the 2018 Ram Navami festival in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The video shared in the post is old and has nothing to do with the recent Hindu New Year celebrations in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the screenshots in the video, an extended and clear version of the same video was found published on a YouTube channel in April 2019. This YouTube channel described it as the visuals of Ram Navami festival celebrations in Ranchi, Jharkhand. But videos with similar visuals were found posted on Facebook with a similar description since March 2018. A few of them can be seen here and here. These users mentioned that this incident had taken place at Firayalal Chowk in Ranchi city.
On observing the extended version video carefully, one could see the word Ranchi written in Hindi (रांची) on one of the billboards.  Also, when we compare the building and temples located at Albert Ekka Chowk or Firayalal Chowk in Ranchi with the visuals seen in the video, it can be confirmed that the video was shot at Albert Ekka Chowk in Ranchi.
When ‘Vishwas News’ had contacted the Ranchi ‘Dainik Jagran’ Chief Reporter for more clarification regarding this video, ‘Dainik Jagran’ Chief Reporter confirmed that the video was shot in 2018 during the Shobha Yatra taken out on Navratri festival in Ranchi. A few videos showing the 2018 Ram Navami celebrations in Ranchi can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, an old video from Jharkhand is shared as recent visuals of helicopter showering flowers during the ‘Hindu New Year’ festival celebrations in Uttar Pradesh.