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This video shows Honduran paratroopers failing to land, not Ugandan paratroopers - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 17, 2022
A post is being shared on social media accompanied by a video in which a few paratroopers are seen struggling to land. The post claims them as belonging to the Ugandan Special Forces. Let’s fact-check this post through this article.
Claim: Video of Ugandan Special Forces paratroppers failing to land properly.
Fact: The Paratroopers display shown in the video took place during the 201st Independence day celebration of the Central American country Honduras. On 15 September 2022, 40 Air Force Paratroopers jumped from helicopters as part of a show at the José de la Paz Herrera National Stadium. Due to wind, some of them landed poorly. The visuals taken in Honduras are falsely being shared as those of Uganda’s Special Forces’ failed parachute landing. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We ran a keyword search on the internet and were led to a YouTube video titled ‘Parachute Display By Honduras’s Special Forces,’ which contains the same video from the viral post. Videos with claims similar to the Viral post are also available on YouTube. Taking a hint from the first video, we ran a keyword search on the internet and found news reports on the incident.
Reportedly, this incident occurred during Honduras’s 201’st Independence day celebrations on 15 September 2022.  ‘40 paratroopers jumped from helicopters from 6,500 feet to land in front of screaming, awe-inspiring fans at the José-de-la-Paz-Herrera Stadium in the city of Tegucigalpa. Or that was the plan. But high winds drastically blew the experienced skydivers off their intended course in a way that thankfully didn’t end in tragedy,’ Nydailypaper reported.
CNN also published a video about this incident and said, ‘A parachuting show for the Independence of Honduras did not have the best outcome because of the wind.’
The images of the ‘José-de-la-Paz-Herrera Stadium ‘ from Google maps match the visuals from the viral video.
A few other news reports on this incident can be read here and here. A video of the paratrooper’s show during the Independence day celebrations can be watched here. In this video, the failed landings can be viewed from other angles.
To sum up, a video recorded during an independence day event in Honduras is falsely shared as Ugandan paratroopers struggling to land.

created: October 17, 2022


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This video shows LK Advani getting emotional at the screening of ‘Shikhara’, not ‘The Kashmir files’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 14, 2022
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows veteran BJP leader LK Advani crying after watching the film – ‘The Kashmir Files’, which was released recently. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video shows LK Advani crying after watching ‘The Kashmir Files’.
Fact: The video was taken at the screening of the film – ‘Shikhara’. It is not related to the recently released ‘The Kashmir Files’ movie. However, both the movies are based on the plight of Kashmiri Pandits. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When the screenshots of the video were run through Google Reverse Image, many news articles with similar visuals were found in the search results. An article was published by ‘India Today’ in February 2020 with the title – “LK Advani breaks down at Shikara screening. Watch video”. The movie was released in 2020. More details about the ‘Shikara’ movie can be found here.
Also, the official Instagram and Twitter accounts of “Vidhu Vinod Chopra Films” have posted a similar video in 2020 with the description – “Shri L K Advani at the special screening of #Shikara. We are so humbled and grateful for your blessings and your appreciation for the film Sir.”
Shri L K Advani at the special screening of #Shikara We are so humbled and grateful for your blessings and your appreciation for the film Sir. @foxstarhindi @rahulpandita pic.twitter.com/oUeymMayhc
To sum it up, the video shows LK Advani getting emotional at the screening of ‘Shikhara’, not ‘The Kashmir files’.

source: news-factly

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

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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This video shows MP Congress leader's daughter, not Bihar polling officer. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 20, 2020
A video is being shared on social media claiming that a polling officer had revealed the BJP’s fraud in Bihar elections. Following the NDA alliance’s victory in Bihar, this video is going viral on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a polling officer revealing the BJP’s fraud in Bihar elections.
Fact: Woman in the video is Congress party leader Prem Chand Guddu’s daughter Rashmi Borasi, not the Bihar polling officer. In the video, Rashmi Borasi accused the  BJP of counting mismanagement in Madhya Pradesh by-polls. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of screenshots in the video, similar visuals were found in a video shared by Madhya Pradesh Congress official Twitter handle. In the tweet, it is mentioned as the situation during the by-poll in Sanwar, Madhya Pradesh. It is mentioned in the tweet that woman in the video is accusing the BJP of counting mismanagement and rigging in Madhya Pradesh by-polls.
On observing the video carefully, we could see the woman introducing herself as Rashmi Borasi. When we searched for more information using all these keywords, we found an article published by ‘ANI’ news website on halting by-poll elections counting at Sanwar in Indore district. In the article, it is mentioned that the by-poll counting at Sanwar was halted for an hour after  Congress party supporters alleged mismanagement in the conduct of elections. It is mentioned that the Congress party leader Prem Chand Guddu’s daughter Rashmi Borasi accused the BJP of mismanagement & unfair conduct.
Rashmi Borasi alleges that all officials including the police and district collector were working as agents of the BJP. She claims that there is a mismatch in tags and seals during the counting process. Reporting the same incident, few other news websites also published articles. They can be read here and here.
To sum it up, this video shows Madhya Pradesh Congress leader’s daughter Rashmi Borasi, not the Bihar polling officer.

created: November 20, 2020


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This video shows people campaigning against AAP in Haryana, not in Gujarat - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 2, 2022
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows Punjab farmers campaigning against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video shows Punjab farmers campaigning against AAP in Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022.
Fact: The posted video is not related to the Gujarat Assembly Elections 2022. The video was taken in Haryana during the by-election for the Aadampur constituency in November 2022. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On watching the video carefully, it can be seen that one of the flex banner has the name of a village – ‘Khairampur’ written. It is a village in Haryana. Also, in the extended version of the same video, a man be heard saying – “Punjab is crying, we do not want Haryana to cry. So, we are asking them not to vote for AAP in Aadampur” (translated). The by-election for the Aadampur constituency, which is in Haryana, took place in the first week of November 2022.
On searching with keywords, a video from the same place was found to be uploaded by a YouTube channel with the following description – “Ex-servicemen from Punjab will oppose Aam Aadmi Party in Aadampur….” (translated). More details regarding the ‘‘Guardians of Governance’ scheme mentioned on one of the flex banners can be read here.
A similar visual as seen in the posted video can be also found in an article published by ‘Amar Ujala’ regarding the events related to the Aadampur by-election.
To sum it up, the posted video shows people campaigning against AAP in Haryana, not in Gujarat.

created: December 2, 2022


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This video shows people doing Surya Namaskar at an event in Mongolia, not Japan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 11, 2021
Update (JULY 27, 2021): While the earlier posts claimed the video to be from Japan, multiple users of social media have linked this video from an event in Mongolia to ongoing 2020 Tokyo olympics.
A video is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows people in Indian flag dress code doing Surya Namaskar in Japan. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of people in Indian flag dress code doing Surya Namaskar in Japan.
Fact: The video is from Mongolia, not Japan. The performance was part of the Community Reception & Yoga Event organised by ‘Art of Living’ in Mongolia when PM Modi visited the country in May 2015. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through Google Reverse Image Search, it was found that some users have shared the same video with the description that it is related to Mongolia. So, when we searched with some keywords, the extended version of the same clip was found to be posted by ‘Narendra Modi’ and ‘PMO India’ channels on YouTube in May 2015. The title of the video on ‘Narendra Modi’ channel reads – “PM Modi at the Community Reception & Yoga Event organised by ‘Art of Living’ in Mongolia”.
The event was held at Buyant Ukhaa Stadium in Mongolia when PM Modi visited the country in May 2015. The tweets made by ‘Narendra Modi’ and ‘PMO India’ regarding this event can be seen here and here.
More information regarding the event can be found here.
To sum it up, the posted video shows people doing Surya Namaskar at an event attended by Modi in Mongolia, not Japan.

created: February 11, 2021


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This video shows people fainted in India due to a gas leak, not due to COVID-19. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 12, 2020
A video of people lying on the road has been posted on YouTube with a claim that it shows the COVID-19 situation in India. But, FACTLY has found that the video is related to a gas leak in Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh, India). On 07 May 2020, a gas leak from the LG Polymers chemical plant in Visakhapatnam has resulted in people getting headaches, fainting on the streets, vomiting and even some deaths. The same video was telecasted in relation to the gas leak by many reputed news agencies. So, the video is not related to COVID-19, but to a gas leak.
Sources:
Claim –
1. YouTube video (archived)
Fact –
1. India Today’ video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru8neyWH2Qg
2. ‘News 18’ video – https://www.facebook.com/cnnnews18/videos/704199570121487/?v=704199570121487
3. ‘The New Indian Express’ article – https://www.newindianexpress.com/galleries/nation/2020/may/07/disturbing-images-of-visakhapatnams-polymers-gas-leak-tragedy-102859–3.html
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This video shows PM Modi paying floral tribute to the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar; not Aurangzeb - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 23, 2022
A video through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that PM Narendra Modi was paying floral tribute to Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of PM Modi paying floral tribute to Aurangzeb.
Fact: The video shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi paying floral tribute to last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, not Aurangzeb. The video is from 07 September 2017 when Modi visited the grave of the last Mughal emperor, Zafar, in Myanmar. After the war of independence of 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled by the British to Rangoon, a city in Myanmar. He breathed his last there on 07 November 1862. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
There is a water mark of ‘Republic TV’ on the top right corner of the video. When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video with relevant keywords, similar video was found on the official YouTube channel of ‘Republic World’. At 0:39 timeframe, the YouTube video had been edited to make this 34-second viral video. According to the YouTube video uploaded on 07 September 2017, Prime Minister Modi was paying tribute at the tomb of Bahadur Shah Zafar in Myanmar; and not of Aurangzeb.
On 07 September 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the grave of last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, in Yangon, Myanmar. After the war of independence of 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled by the British to Rangoon, a city in Myanmar. After the deportation of Zafar in 1858 to Rangoon, he developed paralysis in the throat region and died on 07 November 1862. Bahadur Shah I is the son of Aurangzeb, not Bahadur Shah Zafar. There are no recent videos or reports of Modi paying floral tribute to Aurangzeb.
PM @narendramodi at the Mazar of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor, in Yangon. #IndiaMyanmar pic.twitter.com/EhAIMxRQJF
To sum it up, this video shows PM Modi paying floral tribute to the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar; not Aurangzeb.


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This video shows police detaining people without a mask in Ujjain, not Delhi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 27, 2020
A post with a video showing police detaining people without a mask is being widely shared across all social media platforms with the claim that the video shows Delhi police detaining people for not wearing a mask. It also says that they are being put in jail for 10 hours. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Delhi police detaining people and putting them in jail for ten hours for not wearing a mask.
Fact: The video actually shows Ujjain, MP police detaining people who ventured out without wearing masks. We can even spot the Madhya Pradesh registration number on the police vehicle seen in the video. There are news articles and videos confirming the same. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
We can clearly spot the Madhya Pradesh registration number on the police vehicle seen in the video in the post. Taking a cue from this, YouTube search with relevant keywords led us to a local news video which featured visuals similar to the one in the post. According to the report, in the light of the increasing cases of COVID-19 in Ujjain, police began a crackdown on people venturing out without wearing masks and detained them for ten hours in open jails and also slashed them with fines. In the news video, we can hear ASP Amarendra Sinha saying the same, though he did not comment on the quantum of time these detainees have to spend in jail.
Further Google search led us to a news article which reported the same incident. Even according to this article, the video shows Ujjain police detaining people who ventured out without wearing a mask and these detainees were put in jail for ten hours. Few other news articles saying the same can be read here and here. With all this, we can say that the video is from Ujjain, MP and it has nothing to do with Delhi.
However, we could not find any official government order or news articles saying people venturing out without masks will be detained for ten hours by police in Ujjain or for that matter in MP. Also, we did not find any news article saying such rule is going to be implemented in any other states.
In the wake of increasing COVID-19 cases in the national capital, news like these are being widely shared across social media with misleading claims.
To sum it up, the video shows Ujjain police detaining people not Delhi.

created: November 27, 2020


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This video shows Shashi Tharoor dancing at an election campaign in Kerala, not at Congress Party’s Chintan Shivir - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 24, 2022
A video through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that Shashi Tharoor was dancing at the Congress Party’s Chintan Shivir in Udaipur. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Shashi Tharoor dancing at Congress Party’s Chintan Shivir in Udaipur.
Fact: In the video, Shashi Tharoor was dancing with women Congress workers as part of the Thrikkakkara by-poll election rally for the UDF candidate Uma Thomas in Kerala. The election campaign song used while dancing was a parody of the song Parudeesa from the movie Bheeshma Parvam. The video is not related to Congress Party’s Chintan Shivir (brainstorming camp) organised recently in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When a reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video, a similar video of Shashi Tharoor dancing was found on YouTube. According to the YouTube video report, Shashi Tharoor was dancing with women Congress workers during a campaign rally in Kerala. The election campaign song used was a parody of the song Parudeesa from the movie Bheeshma Parvam. The audio in the YouTube video was different from that in the viral video.
On further search on Google with relevant keywords, the same video was found on the official Twitter handle of Shashi Tharoor; tagging Mahila Congress and Kerala Congress. Shashi Tharoor was dancing with women Congress workers as part of the Thrikkakkara by-poll election rally for the UDF candidate Uma Thomas. Congress Party organised Chintan Shivir (brainstorming camp) in Udaipur, Rajasthan recently. This viral video of Shashi Tharoor dancing is not from that camp in Rajasthan.
To sum it up, this video shows Shashi Tharoor dancing at an election campaign in Kerala, not at Congress Party’s Chintan Shivir.


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This video shows SP leader Vipin Manothia getting beaten up by BJP supporters - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 14, 2022
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows Meerut South SP candidate Adil Choudhary and SP leader Vipin Manothia getting beaten by the public at the Shastri Nagar booth. In the post, it is also being claimed that Adil Choudhary threatened Hindus previously. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Meerut South SP candidate Adil Choudhary and Vipin Manothia getting beaten by the public.
Fact: In the video, SP leader Vipin Manothia is getting beaten by BJP supporters. Several news agencies have reported that BJP supporters opposed SP leaders entering the election booth on election day and attacked them when they came outside. It has also been reported that SP candidate Adil Choudhary went away from the place whereas Vipin Manothia was beaten up by the BJP supporters.
In January 2022, Meerut South SP candidate Adil Choudhary reportedly made some comments threatening to take revenge. The news reports on his comments can be read here and here. While he explicitly did not say that he would take revenge specifically on Hindus, it is portrayed by certain sections that he was referring to Hindus. His full speech can be seen here.
When we searched about the incident in the posted video, many news articles regarding the incident were found in the search results. In its article, ‘Jagran’ has reported that BJP supporters opposed SP leaders entering the polling booth on election day and attacked them when they came outside. It has also been reported that SP candidate Adil Choudhary went away from the place whereas Vipin Manothia was beaten up by the BJP supporters. More news reports regarding the incident can be read here, here, and here.  The ‘Navbharat Times’ has posted the same video and wrote – “SP leader Vipin Manothia beaten by BJP workers in Meerut”.
The comments of Adil Choudhary and Vipin Manothia on the incident can be seen here. They have accused that the attackers are BJP supporters. The names of the accused can be found in the FIR filed by Vipin Manothia. It can be seen that they (Lalit Moral, Sagar Poswal – some of the names in the FIR) are associated with BJP. More details regarding the incident can be found in the FIR.
Also, on comparing the visuals, one can conclude that the man getting beaten up in the posted video is Vipin Manothia.
To sum it up, the posted video shows SP leader Vipin Manothia getting up beaten by BJP supporters.

created: February 14, 2022


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This video shows the 17th century Shah Ali’s Dargah which was constructed amidst the Navabrahma temples in Alampur, Telangana - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 23, 2022
A video through a post is being widely shared on social media claiming that Muslims were turning Telangana’s Jogulamba temple into a mosque. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of Muslims turning Telangana Jogulamba temple into a mosque.
Fact: The video shows the 17 century Shah Ali’s Dargah located in Alampur of Jogulamba Gadwal district, Telangana. Shah Ali Dargah was constructed over 15 to 17 century amidst the Navabrahma temples in Alampur. Navabrahma temples are in the same complex as Jogulamba temple, which is one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas. There are no recent news reports which say that Muslims were turning Telangana Jogulamba temple into a mosque. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When reverse image search is done on the screenshots of the video, the same video was found tweeted by Telangana BJP MLA, Raja Singh. His tweets were about the Jogulamba temple in Alampur of Jogulamba Gadwal district, Telangana. According to this tweet, he requested the Telangana government to remove illegal encroachments like Dargah and Masjid in the courtyards of Hindu temples. In a letter to Archaeological Survey of India, he requested them to remove the non-Hindu religious constructions in the ‘Ancient Jogulamba Shakti Peetham premises.’
Raja Singh, in his letter, did not say that the Muslims were turning the temple into a mosque. He said that the Dargah had appeared long time back. “It is observed that, long back there is a Darga (which) appeared all of the (a) sudden in the temple premises and a Kaman constructed overnight. But, there is no action initiated by the Government Departments for the illegal encroachment into Hindu religious temple.”
Kindly look into the matter at the earliest @TelanganaCMO @TelanganaDGP and remove Non-Hindu religious construction in the ancient Jogulamba Shakti Peetham premises in Gadwal district, Telangana. pic.twitter.com/rJSXEp3zdW
Alampur in Telangana is a temple town with many ancient temples like Sangameshwara temple, Papanasi temple, Jogulamba Bala Brahmeswara Swamy temples, and Navabrahma group of temples. However, there is also a 17 century dargah named Shah Ali’s Dargah in Alampur.
The Shah Ali Dargah was constructed over 15 to 17 century midst the Navabrahma temples in Alampur. The Hindus temples were constructed from 7 to 9 centuries. “These Temples and the Dargah were surveyed by the Muslim archaeologist Ghulam Yazdani over 1926–1927 for the Nizam of Hyderabad, published as an Annual Report of the Archaeology Department in 1929. According to Yazdani, this site was a focus of the religious wars, the Islamic monuments used some of the temple walls and masonry ruins.”
The already constructed Dargah can be seen in Google maps. The Dargah can also be seen in this YouTube video where the dargah is in the background near the parking area of the Jogulamba temple complex
There are no recent news reports which say that Muslims were turning Telangana Jogulamba temple into a mosque.
Factly had reached out to Hyderabad circle of Archaeological Survey of India. They directed us to the Alampur area incharge named Ravichandran, who confirmed to us that the claim was false as the Shah Ali Dargah was older than the ASI department itself. There was no new construction of a Dargah at the Jogulamba temple in Telangana.
To sum it up, this video shows the 17 century Shah Ali’s Dargah which was constructed amidst the Navabrahma temples in Alampur, Telangana.


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This video shows the battery-operated ‘eROCKIT’ electric motorcycle that controls speed using pedals - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 6, 2021
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as the visuals of a pedal-controlled bike that could move at 90kmph without using a battery or petrol. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video of a pedal bike that could go at 90kmph without using a battery or petrol.
Fact: This video shows the battery-operated electric motorcycle, ‘eROCKIT’. ‘eROCKIT’ is the first pedal-controlled electric motorcycle manufactured by the Germany-based ‘eROCKITGermany’ company. This electric motorcycle could move with at a top speed of 90kmph. A fully charged ‘eROCKIT’ bike could cover a maximum distance of 120kms. Though it controls the vehicle speed using pedals, it requires a battery to operate. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
We could see the ‘eROCKIT’ name on the motorcycle shown in the video. When we searched to find the bike details using these keywords, a similar video is found on the ‘eROCKITGermany’ company Facebook page. They mentioned it as the visuals of ‘eROCKIT’, the first pedal-controlled electric motorcycle in the world. This vehicle was made by the Germany-based ‘eROCKITGermany’ company. When a user in the comments section had asked whether the ‘eROCKIT’ motorcycle requires continuous charging similar to the other electric bikes, the company officials responded saying that the ‘eROCKIT’ electric vehicle needs to get charged for four hours on a normal socket.
According to the information provided on the ‘eROCKIT’ website, a fully charged 6.6 kwh battery capacity ‘eROCKIT’ motorcycle could cover a maximum distance of 120 kms.
The speed control in the ‘eROCKIT’ motorcycle is not similar to the conventional motorcycles. ‘eROCKIT’ is a battery-operated electric motorcycle whose speed is controlled using pedals, not by using a usual throttle. The one who pedals faster will move with a faster speed and the one who pedals slowly will have a slow ride. This battery-operated electric motorcycle could move at a top speed of 90 kmph. All these details were provided in the other Facebook posts made by the ‘eROCKITGermany’ company. They can be seen here, here, and here. Additional information related to the ‘eROCKIT’ motorcycle can be found here and here.
To sum it up, this video shows the battery-operated ‘eROCKIT’ electric motorcycle that controls the speed using pedals.

created: August 6, 2021


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This video shows the dead body of Kim Jong-il (Kim Jong-un’s father), not Kim Jong-un, put for display. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 30, 2020
A video of a dead body kept for display is being widely shared on social media with the claim that the North Korean government has confirmed the death of Kim Jong-un. But, FACTLY has found that the video shows Kim Jong-il’s dead body put for display at a palace in North Korea. Kim Jong-il is the father of Kim Jong-un and is the former leader of North Korea. Kim Jong-un’s recent absence from public view has prompted a wave of speculation about his health and possible demise, but South Korean officials said their government knows his whereabouts. So, as of today (30 April 2020), there is no confirmed news about the health status of North Korean Supreme leader Kim Jong-un.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. ‘AP Archive’ video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCBhMIK_KGM
2. News article – https://www.thespec.com/news/world/2011/12/20/nk-leaders-view-kim-jong-il-body.html
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This video shows the terrible situation at a hospital in Mumbai (KEM hospital), not Delhi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 30, 2020
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows the terrible situation inside a hospital in Delhi. The Chief Minister of Delhi is being blamed for such conditions in the hospital. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Video shows the terrible situation in a hospital in Delhi.
Fact: The video is not related to any hospital in Delhi. The video was taken at the KEM hospital in Mumbai. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
In the comment section of the post, a user has commented that the video is related to the KEM hospital in Mumbai. Also, in the video at 10 secs, the man can be heard telling that it is KEM hospital, and at 1 min 22 secs, the lady asks the person to go out and upload the video on Facebook by tagging the KEM hospital. When searched with the keywords, it was found that Ram Kadan, an MLA and BJP leader in Maharashtra, has also posted the same video on 27 May 2020 with a description that the video was taken at Mumbai’s KEM hospital on Tuesday.
Also, various media reports referring the video to be related to KEM hospital can be found on the internet. They can be read here and here. While there are some media reports about the horrifying visuals from a mortuary in Delhi, the posted video is not related to Delhi. Also, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has tweeted that the video is not from Delhi.
#Breaking | Watch: Patient films ‘horror’ in a Maharashtra hospital. Dead bodies, without even being wrapped up are found lying in rooms where patients are accommodated.
Details by TIMES NOW’s Aruneel. | #RahulDumpsMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/LJycZ5hMQk
To sum it up, this video shows the terrible situation at a hospital in Mumbai (KEM hospital), not Delhi.
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This video, which allegedly shows a never-ending staircase, is a trick video - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 27, 2023
A video depicting what appears to be an infinite or never-ending staircase has been circulating on social media platforms. In the footage, individuals ascending the staircase appear to emerge from the bottom as they reach the top. This fact-checking article seeks to investigate the truth behind these intriguing claims.
Claim: The viral video depicts a never-ending staircase.
Fact: This video showing a so-called never-ending staircase is not a real architectural anomaly but a product of clever video editing, visual effects, and sound effects. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
We began by scrutinising the comments section where a user identified the phenomenon as the “Escherian Stairwell.” Subsequently, an internet search directed us to a YouTube video (here and here) uploaded 10 years ago by a user named Michael Lacanilao. This video, which appeared to be an episode of a show called “Can You Imagine,” focused on unique features at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).
In the video, the host describes the said “Escherian Stairwell” and claims it was developed by a Ugandan architect in 1968. The host then introduces this architectural marvel to a group of unsuspecting students, stirring astonishment and disbelief.
Further online exploration led us to another video by Michael Lacanilao in which he revealed that the entire “stairwell” concept was an elaborate hoax. The video, titled “The Escherian Stairwell: Building a Modern Myth,” exposed that the mystifying stairwell does not exist at RIT, and the entire episode was a product of astute video editing, visual effects, and sound effects.
The illusion was so convincing that the YouTuber Captain Disillusion did an in-depth deconstruction, demonstrating how the video was cleverly crafted to create a convincing myth of the “Escherian Stairwell.”
Furthermore, we learned that the whole idea is based on an optical illusion and an impossible object created by Lionel Penrose and Roger Penrose. It is called Penrose Stairs. You can learn more about it here.
To sum up, the stairwell appearing in this video is popularly known on YouTube as the “Escherian Stairwell,” which is not a real architectural feature but a well-crafted video illusion.

created: October 27, 2023


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This viral "Arvind Kejriwal in wet pants" photo is digitally manipulated - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 26, 2024
A photo viral on social media platforms (here, here, here) shows Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in wet pants. Many are asserting this image was taken at his house following his recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. We fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: This is a photo of Arvind Kejriwal in wet pants, taken at his residence after ED arrested him.
Fact: Upon verification, it is found that this is a digitally altered image of a photo from 2022, long before his recent arrest. Therefore, the claim made in the post is False.
To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, a reverse image search was conducted on the photo. This action led us to a similar image from June 2022.
As per news reports, this original photo was captured in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where Kejriwal had participated in the Tiranga Yatra in June 2022 (here and here).
It becomes evident that the photo was taken way before Kejriwal’s arrest in March 2024 and has been digitally manipulated to create the impression of him in wet pants. The difference between the two images can be easily discerned from the collage below.
To sum up, the photo going viral with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in wet pants is a digitally altered version of an older image.


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This viral breathing test does not help you measure your lung health - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 27, 2022
A video asking people to use the breath test as explained to check if your lungs are in a safe zone or not is widely being shared on social media. There are also many other such videos on the internet which claim the same. Let’s fact-check the claim.
Claim: This breath test can be used to check the lungs and Oxygen level and also if the lungs are in a safe zone.
Fact: According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), holding your breath for more than 10 seconds does not mean you are free of any lung disease. However, a test known as Breath-holding test is used to test various health complications but it also accompanies various other testing methods when used. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Upon searching on the internet with relevant keywords, we found many other similar videos which make the same claim. To understand the veracity of claim we looked for research articles in scientific journals. We found a few research papers which mention the use of a method known as Breath-holding test to evaluate and assess various other health complications. These articles can be accessed here, here, and here.
We further looked for relevant information provided by organizations such as the WHO and found a tweet in which they clearly stated that ‘Being able to hold your breath for 10 seconds or more without coughing or feeling discomfort DOES NOT mean you are free from the #coronavirus disease or any other lung disease.’ Similar method claiming to check your lungs and Oxygen level had  become viral during the COVID-19 pandemic and the tweet of WHO was in response to the same claims. These claims can be seen here and here.
FACT: Being able to hold your breath for 10 seconds or more without coughing or feeling discomfort DOES NOT mean you are free from the #coronavirus disease or any other lung disease.
👉🏽https://t.co/TdKoGmWrIr #COVID19 #KnowTheFacts pic.twitter.com/0Sd7yUqwts
On further investigation we found that breath-holding test can be used to determine our breathing patterns, but the breathing patterns just do not depend on the lungs alone and there are many factors that determine a persons breathing pattern.
According to an article by S’cience Direct’, “Breathing patterns vary among individuals and may be influenced by pain, emotion, body temperature, sleep, body position, activity level, and the presence of pulmonary, cardiac, metabolic, or nervous system disease (Table 4-4).” This article can be read here.
We have not found any scientific proof for the test that is being shown in the video which is to hold the breath from the given point A till point B for a certain period of time in the video.
To sum it up, this viral breath test does not help you measure your lungs’ healthiness.


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This viral claim that the face of the idol in the Kamakhya Devi temple is shown once every 15 years is False - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 20, 2023
A video clip is circulating widely on social media platforms, purporting to show the idol of Goddess Kamakhya Devi, housed in Guwahati, Assam. The post accompanying the video claims that the face of the goddess is unveiled only once every 15 years and otherwise remains shrouded in flowers. This fact-checking article aims to unearth the facts behind this claim.
Claim: The video shows the idol of Goddess Kamakhya Devi, and her face is only unveiled once every 15 years.
Fact: The Kamakhya Devi temple does not house an idol. Instead, a Yoni-Kund is worshipped. The idol seen in the video is not of Kamakya Devi, Assam. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
Firstly, a search was performed on the internet using relevant keywords. This led us to articles(here, here, and here) published by several Indian media outlets about the Kamakhya Devi Temple in Assam. According to these reports, the temple is one of the 51 ‘Shakti Peethas’ and is dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya. However, it does not contain an idol; a Yoni-Kund is worshipped there.
Further research led us to a dedicated website for the Kamakhya Devi Temple, where it was stated that the temple is at the centre of the powerful Tantrik Shaktism cult in India.
Fact Crescendo, a leading fact-checking organisation, contacted Bhupesh Sharma, the secretary of the Kamakhya Devi Temple committee. He categorically refuted the claim, confirming that the temple does not house an idol, and therefore, there was no tradition of unveiling the goddess’s face every 15 years.
To sum up, the viral social media post claiming to show the idol of Goddess Kamakhya Devi is entirely false, as the temple only contains a worshipped Yoni-Kund, not an idol. The idol shown in the viral video is not that of Kamakhya Devi Temple, Assam.

created: October 20, 2023


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This viral dialogue between Gandhi and a barber is a work of fiction - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 9, 2023
A widely circulated post on social media presents an alleged dialogue between Gandhi and a barber concerning religious texts. Within this exchange, Gandhi underscores that Hindus should not have the Ramayana or Mahabharata in their households, but he suggests the inclusion of the Quran instead. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Gandhi underscores that Hindus should not have the Ramayana or Mahabharata in their households, but he suggests the inclusion of the Quran instead.
Fact: The viral image indeed depicts Gandhi receiving a shave from a barber named Munnilal in Allahabad in 1939. However, there are no records of the purported dialogue between Gandhi and a barber, indicating the possibility that the conversation might be a work of fiction. Further, contrary to the viral claim, Gandhi held sacred Hindu scriptures such as the Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, and Mahabharata in high regard. Also, he was also vocal about Islamic rulers destroying of places of worship of other religions and also forceful conversions. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The alleged conversation in the viral post is claimed to be a passage from a Hindi book, the title of which loosely translates to ‘Unrevealed Genuine Historical Narratives,’ authored by Madhu Dhama. However, our search yielded no results for a book by this author with that title, indicating the possibility that the conversation might be a work of fiction.
With regards to the image, it indeed depicts Gandhi receiving a shave from a barber named Munnilal in Allahabad in 1939. Archival records of Gandhi’s writings have published this very image alongside a letter expressing gratitude to the barber. Gandhi proceeded to write, ‘Munnilal has given me a meticulous shave with heartfelt dedication. His razor is domestically crafted, and he shaves without using soap’.
However, we could not trace any such dialogue associated with the image in the archival documents or any reports related to Gandhi.
As for Gandhi’s perspectives on religious texts, contrary to the assertion, Gandhi held sacred Hindu scriptures such as the Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, and Mahabharata in high regard. Gandhi viewed that ‘Gita is not only my Bible or my Koran, it is my mother, my eternal mother. He said that out of all the books he had read, he found the greatest consolation in two books: the Gita and the Tulsi Ramayana.’
Gandhi claimed to have read the Quran more than once and also many books on Quran and the Prophet. And was vehement about Islamic rulers destroying places of worship of other religions and also forceful conversions. He regarded Islam to be a religion of peace but viewed that there is a difference between the teaching and practice of Islam.
Hence, the aforementioned viewpoints directly conflict with the perspectives attributed to him in the viral post, demonstrating that the viral dialogue is a work of fiction, falsely attributing ideas to Gandhi. Further, there are no records about Gandhi asking Hindus, not to keep Ramayana or Mahabharata in their households, but suggesting the inclusion of the Quran instead.
To sum it up, Gandhi, on various occasions, expressed deep respect for Hindu scriptures like the Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, and Mahabharata.

created: August 9, 2023


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This viral graphic of India Today's ‘Mood of the Nation’ survey is digitally altered - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 3, 2024
A graphic (here, here, and here) allegedly showing the India Today’s Mood of the Nation survey is doing the rounds on social media. It is being claimed that according to this survey, the Samajwadi Party is predicted to win 17 seats, and the Congress Party is predicted to win 5 seats in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Uttar Pradesh. We fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: India Today’s Mood of the Nation survey predicts 17 seats for the Samajwadi Party and five for the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Fact: The viral graphic is an edited screenshot of the India Today Mood of the Nation Survey News broadcast that was shared on YouTube on 20 March 2024 by India Today. In the original survey, the Samajwadi Party was predicted to win seven seats, while Congress was predicted to become victorious in one seat. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
To check the veracity of the viral claim, we performed a keyword search on the Internet to find more details about the India Today Mood of the Nation Survey 2024. We were led to the original upload of this news broadcast uploaded on their official YouTube channel on 2 March 2024.
The viral graphic is a screenshot of this video taken at around 1:33:52 mark. However, the 2024 projections made in the original video differ from the viral graphic. In the original India Today Mood of the Nation Survey 2024, the BJP was predicted to win 70 seats, while the Samajwadi Party and the Congress Party were to win Seven and One seats, respectively. One can see the difference between them in the following graphic.
To sum up, the viral graphic is an edited version of the India Today Mood of the Nation Survey of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh telecast in March 2024.


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This viral image depicting Israeli soldiers holding an ISIS flag is digitally edited - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 14, 2024
A post accompanying an image of men in army uniform holding an ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) flag and Israel national flag is being widely shared across social media platforms with the claim that this photo depicts the Israeli soldiers holding the ISIS flag along with the Israel flag. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo depicting Israeli soldiers holding an ISIS flag along with the Israeli flag.
Fact: The viral photo depicting Israeli soldiers holding an ISIS flag has been digitally edited. The original photo, shared by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on X(Twitter) on 05 June 2023, shows Israeli soldiers holding a flag for the Golani Brigade, a specific unit of the IDF, along with the Israeli national flag. Therefore, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To verify the authenticity of the viral image, we conducted a Google reverse image search. This search led us to a news report published by ‘The Times of Israel’ on 05 June 2023, which stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had sent a delegation of troops to participate in a major American-led military drill held in Morocco and nearby African nations. In the report, we found a similar image, but it does not feature the ISIS flag. Instead, it shows a yellow and green flag with visible Hebrew text that translates to ‘Golani Patrol’ (translated using Google Translate). Similar reports sharing the same photo can be seen here and here.
We then searched for information about the ‘Golani Patrol’ online and discovered that the Golani Brigade is an infantry unit within the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). While the unit’s symbol is an olive tree on a yellow background, the flag shown in the photo features the colours of the Israeli Infantry Corps flag. One of the news reports mentioned the image source as ‘@idfonline/Twitter’. Following this lead, we located the original photo posted by the Israel Defense Forces on their official X(Twitter) account on 05 June 2023, with the caption: ‘A delegation of 12 fighters and commanders from the Golani Patrol unit left yesterday for the ‘African 2023 Lion’ exercise led by the land arm, taking place in Morocco.‘ (Translated from Hebrew to English)
משלחת של 12 לוחמים ומפקדים מיחידת סיירת גולני יצאה אתמול לתרגיל "African Lion 2023" בהובלת זרוע היבשה שמתקיים במרוקו.
בתרגיל משתתפות כ-18 מדינות וכ-8,000 חיילים מצבא ארה"ב, מרוקו וגאנה >> pic.twitter.com/4SDKbAcAJl
Upon comparing the viral image with the original photo, it becomes evident that the original photo was edited to replace the Golani Brigade flag with the ISIS flag.
To sum it up, this viral image depicting Israeli soldiers holding an ISIS flag is digitally edited.


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This viral image depicting modified tractors for the 'Delhi Chalo' farmers' protest rally is created using AI. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 13, 2024
A photo is circulating on social media, claiming that it depicts modified tractors intended for use by farmers to avoid tear gas shells and to dismantle barricades set up by the police in the context of ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers’ protest rally in Delhi on 13 February 2024. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo depicting modified tractors intended for use in the ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers protest rally in Delhi on 13 February 2024.
Fact: There are several media reports indicating that farmers are likely to use modified tractors during the farmers’ protest rally in Delhi on 13 February 2024. According to an ANI report, a Central Intelligence Agency official, in conversation with them, mentioned that intelligence agencies have alerted the police about how tractors were fitted with hydraulic tools to remove police barricades. Farmers are alleged to have prepared fire-resistant hard-shell trailers to counter tear gas shells, and drills with these modified vehicles were allegedly conducted. OpIndia, in their article, clarified that the photo used is a representative image created by AI and not a real photo. We further examined this viral photo using an AI detector tool called HIVE, and it indicated that this viral photo is highly likely (99.4%) to have been generated by AI. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Demanding enactment of a minimum support price (MSP) law for crops, implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, the waiver of farm loans, withdrawal of police cases registered during the earlier farmers’ protest, and justice for Lakhimpur Kheri victims, several farmers’ associations have called for a farmer’s protest rally named ‘Delhi Chalo’ on 13th February 2024. Media articles reporting the same can be found here & here.
Several reports indicate that the police have set up barricades to prevent any untoward incidents (here & here).
In this context, a photo is going viral, claiming that farmers have modified their tractors to avoid tear gas shells and remove barricades put up by the police during the rally. To check the veracity of this viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet, which led us to several reports stating that central intelligence agencies have alerted the Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi Police about the usage of modified tractors in theDelhi Farmers’ protest rally. Media articles reporting the same can be found here, here & here. According to an ANI report, a Central Intelligence Agency official, in a conversation with them, mentioned that intelligence agencies have alerted the police about the upcoming farmers’ rally in Delhi. More than 25,000 farmers and 5000 tractors from various districts of Punjab and Haryana are expected to reach Delhi to participate in the farmers’ protest rally. Some tractors were equipped with hydraulic tools to clear barricades set up by the police, and farmers prepared fire-resistant hard-shell trailers to counter tear gas shells. They also allegedly conducted drills with these modified vehicles.
To know more information about the viral image, we conducted a reverse image search on the internet. This search led us to a news report published by OpIndia that used the same image. In their article, OpIndia clarified that the photo used in the news report is a representative image created by AI and not an authentic photograph.
Additionally, to ascertain whether this photo was created by AI, we analyzed the viral image using the HIVE AI detector tool, which is designed to identify AI-generated images. The results indicated a high likelihood (99.4%) that this viral photo was indeed created by AI. From all this information, it is evident that the viral image is an AI-generated one. But AI detector tools don’t always provide accurate results. An article by The New York Times discussing the accuracy of AI detection tools in identifying AI-generated images can be seen here.
To sum it up, a viral image depicting modified tractors for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ farmers protest rally is created using AI.

created: February 13, 2024


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This viral image shows an emaciated Yemeni child, dating back to December 2020 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 14, 2024
An image (here & here) depicting a child suffering from starvation is circulating widely across social media platforms, with the claim that it depicts a Palestinian child from Gaza who died due to hunger because of Israeli military action. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo depicting an emaciated Palestinian child from Gaza suffering from starvation.
Fact: According to reports, the viral photo dates back to December 2020 and depicts 7-year-old Faid Samim, a Yemeni boy suffering from cerebral palsy (CP) and severe malnutrition, who was admitted to Al-Sabeen Hospital in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
For context, according to news reports (here & here), the WHO chief has stated that children are dying of starvation in northern Gaza. On 6 March 2024, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 20 Palestinians have died of malnutrition in hospitals, with a potentially higher number succumbing due to the inability to access assistance. According to CNN, displaced Palestinians are struggling to feed their children as Israel has imposed severe restrictions on aid.
To authenticate the viral claim and gather more information about the image, we conducted a Google reverse image search. This search led us to several news reports (here, here & here) that featured the same viral image, with Reuters cited as the image source. These reports, published in January 2021, identified the child in the viral photo as 7-year-old Faid Samim, a Yemeni boy suffering from cerebral palsy (CP) and severe malnutrition, who was admitted to Al-Sabeen Hospital in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. According to Reuters, Samim weighs only 7 kg. Samim’s family had to travel from Al-Jawf province, 170 km north of the capital Sanaa, through many checkpoints and rough roads, to bring the boy to the capital for treatment. The viral image captures Faid Samim lying curled up on a hospital bed in the malnutrition treatment ward of Al-Sabeen Hospital in Sanaa, Yemen, on 28 December 2020. Based on this information, it is evident that the viral photo depicts a 7-year-old Yemeni child named Faid Samim lying in a hospital bed in the year 2020.
To sum it up, this viral image shows a Yemeni child suffering from cerebral palsy and severe malnutrition, and the image dates back to 2020.


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This viral letter showing BJP announcement of Baba Balaknath as Chief Minister of Rajasthan is fake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 8, 2023
A post accompanying a BJP letter head dated 06 December 2023, which shows the announcement of Baba Balaknath as the new Chief Minister candidate of Rajasthan circulating widely across social media platforms. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: BJP’s official letter announcing Baba Balaknath as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
Fact: Rajasthan BJP through its official X handle rated the viral letter as fake. As per news reports, Baba Balaknath is also in the Chief Minister race along with other prominent leaders in Rajasthan. However, as of publishing this fact check, BJP didn’t announce anyone as Chief Minister of Rajasthan. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Upon searching for the information related to the viral post, we came across a tweet from Rajasthan BJP official X handle, which condemned the viral news. According to tweet, the letter which shows Baba Balaknath as Rajasthan Chief minister is fake.
Fake Alert ! pic.twitter.com/GABYXWHveO
BJP is yet to announce their Chief Minister candidate in Rajasthan. As per news reports, Baba Balaknath is also in the Chief Minister race along with other Prominent leaders in Rajasthan. However, as of publishing this fact check, BJP didn’t announce anyone as Chief Minister of Rajasthan.
To sum it up, this letter announcing BJP’s Baba Balaknath as the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan is fake.

created: December 8, 2023


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This viral message about "Permanent Address" was not written by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 21, 2024
A post accompanied by a message on “Permanent Address” is widely circulating on social media platforms with the claim that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman penned this message. The same message was shared earlier on social media, attributing it to Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: This viral message about “Permanent Address” is written by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Fact: This viral message about “Permanent Address” was originally written by Aseem Dhru, MD & CEO of SBFC Finance Ltd. He shared these lines on his Twitter account on 10 July 2023. In another Twitter post, he mentioned that these lines were shared on social media platforms, attributing them to Javed Akhtar. However, Javed Akhtar clarified that he is not the author of these lines. There is no evidence of Nirmala Sitharaman penning the message. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet. However, we didn’t find any reliable reports stating that these lines on “Permanent Address” were written by Nirmala Sitharaman. This search led us to a LinkedIn post dated 10 July 2023, shared by Aseem Dhru, MD & CEO of SBFC Finance Ltd. This LinkedIn post contains identical prose on “permanent address.” He also shared the same on his X account.
Considering this, we contacted Aseem Dhru seeking clarification on whether he is the author of these lines or if they were sourced from elsewhere. In his response, he confirmed that he is the original author of these lines on “permanent address.” He also disclosed that these lines were shared on social media earlier, attributing them to Javed Akhtar. However, Javed Akhtar clarified on X(Twitter), stating that he is not the author of these lines. Subsequently, we also found a LinkedIn post by Aseem Dhru about Javed Akhtar’s clarification. From this information, it is evident that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman did not write the lines on “Permanent Address.”
‘Permanent Address’ is a beautiful piece of writing circulating in the social media in my name.The fact, however is that I have not written it and the credit should go to its actual writer who ever she/ he may be .
To sum it up, this viral message about “Permanent Address” is not written by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

created: February 21, 2024


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This viral message advising people to switch off their phones for protection from cosmic rays is a Hoax - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 5, 2024
A message claiming that Google, NASA, BBC, and CNN have warned people to turn off their mobile phones, laptops, and electronic devices between 12:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. tonight is being widely shared across social media platforms (here, here, & here). The message asserts that Earth will experience the highest radiation tonight as cosmic rays pass near it during this time. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in this post.
Claim: Google, NASA, BBC, and CNN have issued warnings advising people to turn off mobile phones and electronic devices and keep them away from their bodies as cosmic rays pass closer to the Earth tonight.
Fact: No such warning was issued by NASA, BBC, or CNN either recently or in the past. This message has been circulating on the internet since at least 2010. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) clarified that this message is a hoax when it went viral in 2019. Moreover, ISRO stated that there is no connection between the modulation of cosmic rays and the use of mobile phones. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet to determine whether Google, NASA, or any other agency has issued such a warning advising people to turn off electronic devices and keep them away from their bodies, either recently or in the past. However, we did not find any reports regarding such a warning from any of the agencies mentioned in the viral message. Furthermore, we examined the websites of NASA, BBC, and CNN regarding viral messages; however, we didn’t find any such warning as mentioned in the viral message. Additionally, the post also mentions Singapore TV. Upon checking, we found that there is no such news by the agency. During this search, we came across several posts (here, here, & here) with the same message circulating on social media in various countries since at least 2010.
Furthermore, we found several articles (here, here, and here) confirming this message as a hoax. Additionally, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) clarified that this information was false in a statement provided to Vishwas News in 2019. Moreover, ISRO stated that there is no connection between the modulation of cosmic rays and the use of mobile phones.
According to NASA, cosmic rays are particles from outer space that traverse the universe, originating from sources such as the sun, other exploding stars, and even black holes. Despite their tremendous speed, approaching that of light, when these particles reach Earth, they are generally obstructed by our atmosphere, rendering them harmless to humans.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cosmic radiation is emitted by stars, including our sun. Another type of radiation emitted by the sun is ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is distinct from cosmic radiation. The amount of radiation exposure due to cosmic radiation varies depending on altitude, with higher altitudes resulting in greater exposure. Cosmic radiation is most intense in the upper atmosphere and even more so in deep space. Exposure to cosmic radiation is akin to that of a medical X-ray, yet the average annual dose is very low, unlikely to adversely affect human health.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also affirms that cosmic rays pose minimal threat to humans and Earth’s systems. Furthermore, NOAA regularly monitors various solar and stellar rays that may impact electronic devices and power grids, issuing early warnings as needed.
To sum up, the viral message advising people to switch off their phones for protection from cosmic rays is fake.


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This viral message chiding PM Modi was not written by the former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 19, 2024
Several social media posts (here, here, & here), accompanied by a message allegedly claiming to be written by ‘Julio Ribeiro’, a retired IPS officer who served as police commissioner of Mumbai and DGP to the states of Punjab and Gujarat, are being widely shared across social media platforms. In the viral message, we can see ‘Julio Ribeiro’ chiding Prime Minister Modi for repeatedly asserting that for 60 years, the Congress party and the Gandhi family had done nothing for the country. Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: A post written by ‘Julio Ribeiro,’ chiding PM Modi for repeatedly stating that the Congress party and the Gandhi family had done nothing for the country over the course of 60 years.
Fact: This viral message was not written by ‘Julio Riberio’, as confirmed by Julio Riberio himself in an article published by the Indian Express on 09 March 2019. In the article, he also mentioned that he became a victim of fake news, which was factually correct. Julio Ribeiro has also stated that he largely agrees with the contents of the post. He said, while it is true that Modi’s government has accelerated the development agenda in many spheres and has accomplished a lot of beneficial work that could have been done earlier, however, it is not true that earlier governments did nothing progressive for the country. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet. This search led us to an article titled “The fake news is correct,” published by the Indian Express on 09 March 2019, authored by ‘Julio Ribeiro,’ the individual mentioned in the viral message.
According to this report, Julio Ribeiro confirmed that the viral message was not written by him. He also mentioned that his name was misspelt in the viral message as ‘Julius Rebeiro,’ and the post incorrectly described him as the retired DGP of Maharashtra. Instead, he served as the Commissioner of Police in Mumbai and DGP of Gujarat for four months. Additionally, he held the position of DGP in Punjab for two years, but he was not the DGP of Maharashtra. He also stated that he became a victim of “fake news,” which was factually correct. Julio Ribeiro has also stated that he largely agrees with the contents of the post. He said that while it is true that Modi’s government has accelerated the development agenda in many spheres and has done a lot of good work that could have been done earlier,  however, it is not true that the earlier governments did nothing progressive for the country. ‘The South Asian Times’ also reported the same article in March 2021, written by Julio Ribeiro, refuting that the viral message was not written by him.
However, there have been a few instances where he has expressed dissatisfaction with the Modi government’s governance. (here, here, here & here)
To sum up, this viral message chiding PM Modi was not written by the former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro.


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కేరళలోని ఆయుర్వేద వైద్యుడు రూ.10000 విలువగల ఆయుర్వేద సబ్బుని తయారుచేశాడంటూ షేర్ చేస్తున్న ఈ పోస్టు ఫేక్ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 17, 2023
కేరళలోని ఒక ఆయుర్వేద వైద్యుడు రూ. 10000 విలువగల అత్యంత ఖరీదైన ఆయుర్వేద సబ్బుని తయారు చేసినట్టు సోషల్ మీడియాలో ఒక పోస్ట్ షేర్ అవుతోంది. ఎటువంటి చర్మ సమస్యలనైనా పరిష్కరించడానికి ఒక అద్వితీయమైన ఫార్ములాతో ఈ సబ్బుని తయారుచేశారని ఈ పోస్టులో తెలుపుతున్నారు. ఈ కేరళ వైద్యుడు తయారు చేసిన సబ్బు ఫార్ములా హక్కులని రతిరా ఆయుర్వేద సంస్థ సంపాదించిందని, ‘రతీరా బట్టర్’ పేరుతో ఈ సబ్బును రతిరా ఆయుర్వేద సంస్థ రూ. 299కు దేశంలోని ప్రజలకు కొనుగోలు చేస్తుందని పోస్టులో తెలుపుతున్నారు. అంతేకాదు, ఇరాన్‌లో ఈ సబ్బుకి చాలా మంది కొనుగోలుదారులున్నారని, భారత దేశంలో తయారైన ఈ సబ్బుకు టాక్స్ మరియు ఇతర ఖర్చులను కలుపుకొని ఇరాన్ వినియోగదారుల వద్దకి చేరేసరికి దీని ధర పదివేల రూపాయలు ఉంటుందని ఈ పోస్టులో తెలిపారు.  ఆ పోస్టులో ఎంతవరకు నిజముందో చూద్దాం.
క్లెయిమ్: కేరళలోని ఒక ఆయుర్వేద వైద్యుడు రూ.10000 విలువగల అత్యంత ఖరీదైన ఆయుర్వేద సబ్బుని తయారుచేశాడు.
ఫాక్ట్ (నిజం): ఈ పోస్టులో తెలుపుతున్న సమాచారాన్ని రతీరా పేరుతో రూపొందించిన పలు ఫేక్ వెబ్సైట్లు ఆర్టికల్స్ రూపంలో ప్రచారం చేస్తున్నాయి. ఈ సమాచారాన్ని చదివి ‘రతీరా బట్టర్’ సబ్బు కొనాలనుకొనే కస్టమర్లను తమ వెబ్సైటులో పేరు, మొబైలు నంబర్ వివరాలను ఇవ్వాలని కోరుతున్నారు. వివరాలు తెలిపిన తరువాత తమ ఆయుర్వేదిక్ నిపుణుడు ఒకరు మీకు ఫోన్ చేసి మాట్లాడుతారని తెలుపుతున్నారు. ‘రతీరా బట్టర్’ సబ్బును సాధారణంగా రతీరా ఆయుర్వేద ప్రైవేట్ లిమిటెడ్ అధికారిక వెబ్సైటులో ఆన్లైన్లో కొనవచ్చు. కేరళలోని ఆయుర్వేద ఫార్మసిలో పనిచేసి వ్యక్తి యొక్క పాత ఫోటోని షేర్ చేస్తూ కేరళ డాక్టర్ రూ.10000 ఖరీదైన సబ్బు తయారు చేశారని తప్పుగా షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు. కావున, పోస్టులో చేస్తున్న క్లెయిమ్ తప్పు.
పోస్టులో షేర్ చేస్తున్న సమాచారం కోసం కీ పదాలను ఉపయోగించి ఇంటర్నెట్లో వెతికితే, రతిరా ఆయుర్వేద సంస్థ పేరుతో పలు వెబ్సైట్లు ఇదే సమాచారాన్ని షేర్ చేస్తూ ఆర్టికల్స్ పబ్లిష్ చేసినట్టు తెలిసింది. ఈ సమాచారాన్ని చదివి ‘రతీరా బట్టర్’ సబ్బు కొనాలనుకొనే కస్టమర్లను తమ వెబ్సైటులో పేరు, మొబైలు నంబర్ వివరాలను ఇవ్వాలని కోరుతున్నారు. వివరాలు తెలిపిన తరువాత తమ ఆయుర్వేదిక్ నిపుణుడు ఒకరు మీకు ఫోన్ చేసి మాట్లాడుతారని ఈ వెబ్సైట్ తెలుపుతుంది.
రెండు ‘రతీరా బట్టర్’ సబ్బుల ప్యాకేజీను రతీరా ఆయుర్వేద ప్రైవేట్ లిమిటెడ్ సంస్థ అధికారిక వెబ్సైటులో  రూ. 299కు ఆన్లైన్లో కొనవచ్చు. రతీరా ఆయుర్వేద సంస్థ పేరుతో ఫోనులో మాట్లాడి తమ దగ్గర డబ్బులు దోచుకొని మోసం చేశారని కొందరు వినియోగదారులు కన్స్యూమర్ ఫోరంలో కంప్లయింట్ కూడా ఇచ్చారు. ‘రతీరా బట్టర్’ సబ్బుని కుంకుమ పువ్వు, మేక పాలు, ఆలివ్ నూనె తదితర పదార్ధాలను ఉపయోగించి రూపొందిస్తారని, చర్మ సౌందర్యం మెరుగుపరచడానికి ఈ సబ్బు ఎంతగానో పనిచేస్తుందని ఈ ప్రాడక్ట్ వివరణలో తెలిపారు. కానీ, పోస్టులో తెలుపుతున్నట్టు చర్మ సమస్యలను పరిష్కరించగల సామర్ధ్యం ఈ సబ్బుకు ఉన్నట్టు రతీరా ఆయుర్వేద సంస్థ ఎక్కడ తెలుపలేదు.
ఇరాన్ దేశంలో ఈ ‘రతీరా బట్టర్’ సబ్బును రూ. 10000కు అమ్ముతున్నారని ఎక్కడా రిపోర్ట్ అవలేదు. అలాగే, పోస్టులో షేర్ చేసిన వ్యక్తి ఫోటోని రివర్స్ ఇమేజ్ సర్చ్ చేసి వెతికితే, ఇదే ఫోటోని ‘Alamy’ వెబ్సైటులో 2009లో పబ్లిష్ చేసినట్టు తెలిసింది. కేరళ అలెప్పిలోని ఆయుర్వేద ఫార్మసీలో పనిచేస్తున్న వ్యక్తి ఫోటో అని ఈ ఫోటోను మరికొన్ని వెబ్సైట్లు కూడా షేర్ చేశాయి.
ప్రపంచంలోనే అత్యధిక ఖరీదైన, బంగారం మరియు వజ్రం పౌడరుతో తయారచేసిన, సబ్బును లెబనాన్‌కు చెందిన వ్యాపార సంస్థ  విక్రయిస్తుంది. దీని విలువ సుమారు 2000 డాలర్లు, అంటే భారత కరెన్సీలో సుమారు 2 లక్షలకు పైగా ఉంటుంది.
ఈ పోస్టులో తమ సంస్థ ప్రాడక్టులకు సంబంధించి జరుగుతున్న ప్రచారానికి సంబంధించి స్పష్టతనివ్వాలని మేము రతీరా ఆయుర్వేద సంస్థకు ఈ-మెయిల్ చేసాము. ఈ-మెయిల్ సమాధానం వచ్చిన వెంటనే ఈ ఆర్టికల్‌ను అప్డేట్ చేస్తాము.
చివరగా, కేరళలోని ఆయుర్వేద వైద్యుడు రూ.10000 విలువగల అత్యంత ఖరీదైన ఆయుర్వేద సబ్బుని తయారుచేసాడంటూ షేర్ చేస్తున్న ఈ పోస్ట్ తప్పు.


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This viral photo does not show the world's heaviest baby - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 17, 2023
A photo of a doctor carrying a new born baby who seems pretty heavy for a newborn is being shared on social media. A description of the post states the baby is the heaviest baby born naturally and weighs 8.6 KG, and finds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Photo of a baby who holds the Guinness World record for the World’s heaviest baby.
Fact: According to Guinness World Records, the world record for the heaviest baby born in this world belongs to a boy born on 19 January 1879 in Ohio, USA. The boy weighed 9.98 Kg during his birth. The viral photo is not of this baby boy. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To cross-check if the heaviest baby born in the world is the baby in the photo,  we looked for such a record on the official website of the Guinness World Records. According to the website, a baby boy born in 1879 holds the record for world’s heaviest baby. ‘Giantess Anna Bates (née Swan) (Canada, b. 6 August 1846; d. 5 August 1888), who measured 241.3 cm (7 ft 11 in), gave birth to a boy weighing 9.98 kg (22 lb) and measuring 71.12 centimetres (28 in) at her home in Seville, Ohio, USA, on 19 January 1879.’ The boy died 11 hours after his birth.
On reverse image search on the viral photo, we found a few news articles (here and here) from 2009 which reported the birth of an 8.7 Kg baby in Indonesia. This is almost close to the claimed weight of the baby in the viral photo but does not show the same baby as in the viral photo. The reverse image search led us to older social media posts with similar claims (here and here) as this viral post but did not lead us to any conclusive evidence about the photo.
To sum up, this viral photo does not show the world’s heaviest baby.

created: January 17, 2023


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This viral screenshot of Republic TV reporting that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is in touch with the BJP is fake. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 21, 2024
A screenshot of a Republic TV news report claiming that the Indian National Congress (INC) President Mallikarjun Kharge is in touch with the BJP  is widely circulating across social media platforms. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Indian National Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is in touch with the BJP says Republic TV.
Fact: There are no reports about the Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge being in touch with the BJP. According to several reports, fake screenshots of Republic TV reporting that Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi are in touch with the BJP went viral. However, Republic TV has clarified this issue through its Twitter handle, stating, ‘It has come to their attention that fake news has been propagated on social media by morphing their breaking news template.’ Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Over the past few weeks, several Congress leaders have left the party ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Former Union Minister Milind Deora from Maharashtra joined the Shiv Sena led by BJP ally Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra. Soon after, former Maharashtra CM Ashok Chavan left the Congress party and joined the BJP. For the past few days, there has been speculation that senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath is likely to join the BJP. Amidst this, a post claiming that the Congress Party national president Mallikarjun Kharge is in touch with BJP is going viral on social media.
To verify the veracity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet. However, we did not find any reports about such a development.
During this search, we found a news report published by Free Press Journal dated 18 February 2024. According to this report, fake screenshots of Republic TV reporting that Kharge and Rahul are in touch with the BJP went viral on social media. Republic TV issued a clarification regarding this.
Subsequently, we checked the official X(Twitter) handle of Republic TV, where we found a clarification by Republic TV on 18 February 2024, regarding this viral claim. The clarification post reads, “It has come to our attention that the Republic TV breaking news template has been morphed to peddle fake news on social media. This official Republic handle is the only platform to disseminate verified news by our English news channel. We are working with social media platforms to ensure fake news does not circulate using the brand logo of Republic.” From this information, it is evident that Republic TV did not report that Congress Party National President Mallikarjun Kharge is in touch with the BJP.
It has come to our attention that the Republic TV breaking news template has been morphed to peddle fake news on social media. This official Republic handle is the only platform to disseminate verified news by our English news channel. We are working with social media platforms…
To sum it up, this viral screenshot of Republic TV reporting that Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge is in touch with the BJP is fake.


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This viral selfie shows father and son working for railways in Bangladesh, not India - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 17, 2022
A social media post accompanying a selfie of a man, a TTE in the railways with another man, both moving on two different trains is being shared with a claim that the image shows a father (guard in railways) and son (TTE). The image is being shared as if both the father & son duo work in the Indian Railways.  Through this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Selfie of a father and son working in the Indian Railways.
Fact: It is true that the viral selfie shows a father and son working for railways, however, they are from Bangladesh, and they work for the Bangladesh Railways. On the TTE badge worn by the son, it is clearly mentioned as ‘Bangladesh Railways’. Further, multiple Bangladeshi news articles reported the same image back in 2019 as a father & son working for the Bangladeshi Railways. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
While it is true that the men in the viral selfie are father and son, however, they are not from India but Bangladesh. A reverse image search of the viral photo led us to a tweet that has a slightly better quality image of the selfie. Upon close observation, we can spot ‘Bangladesh Railways’ written on the badge that the man with goggles is wearing. Thus, this indicates that the man with the badge does not work for the Indian Railways.
Further search yielded a few Bangladeshi news reports which reported the same image (here & here). These articles date back to 2019 and as per these articles, the men in the selfie are indeed father & son, and they both work for the Bangladesh Railways. The son, Wasibur Rahman works as a TTE, and his father works as a guard. The image was captured by the son when they both came across at the Fulbury railway station.
Further, we accessed the Facebook profile of  Wasibur Rahman, through which we found that he shared the same image in May 2019. Thus, all these establish that the image is not from India but Bangladesh.
To sum it up, this viral selfie shows father and son working for railways in Bangladesh, not India.


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This viral video is from 2019 and does not show crowd at PM Modi’s recent rally in Rajasthan's Jalore - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 24, 2024
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed public rallies in Jalore and Banswara, Rajasthan, on 21 April 2024, as part of the BJP’s political campaign for the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Amidst this event, several posts (here, here, & here), accompanied by a video showing a massive crowd, are being widely shared across social media platforms. The claim accompanying these posts is that the video shows the scene at the meeting site before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Jalore, Rajasthan. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Video showing a massive crowd at PM Narendra Modi’s recent rally in Jalore on 21 April 2024.
Fact: This viral video dates back to 2019 and shows visuals of a Congress rally held in Jalore, Rajasthan, in April 2019. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we skimmed through the comment sections of several viral posts on X (Twitter) carrying these viral visuals, we found multiple users pointing out that the video dates back to 2019 and shows visuals of a Congress rally in Ramseen, Jalore. Here is the link to one such comment (archive link). Another comment stating that the video shows a Congress rally held in Ramseen in 2019 can be seen here (archive link).
Taking a cue from this, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet. This search led us to a video (archive link) posted on Facebook containing the same visuals as in the viral video, which was shared on 25 April 2019. The video caption reads: “This video is not from anywhere else; in Rajasthan, there is a huge crowd in the public meeting of Lok Sabha Congress campaign Rahul Gandhi, Ashok Gehlot, and Sachin Pilot in Ramseen of Jalore district.” (translated from Hindi to English)
Upon further search, we also found a video (archive link) that was mentioned in the comments of one of the viral posts on the YouTube channel named ‘SVG CSO’ on 26 April 2019, with the caption “Ramseen (Jalore) Congress Meeting (25/04/2019)”. (translated from Hindi to English)
To learn more about this video and the Congress rally in Ramseen held in 2019, we conducted a relevant keyword search and found that Rahul Gandhi held a rally in Jalore on 25 April 2019 (here & here). Subsequently, we also found a video (archive link) posted on the official Instagram handle of the Congress party, where a massive crowd was seen gathered. It was shared on 27 April 2019, with a caption that said, “It was a sight to behold as lakhs of people came to see and listen to Congress President @rahulgandhi at the mega rally at Jalore, Rajasthan.” Upon comparing the visuals of the viral video with the Instagram video, we can observe identical locations and structures in both videos. Based on this information, it is evident that the viral video is old and does not show visuals of PM Modi’s recent rally held in Jalore, Rajasthan.
To sum up, this viral video dates back to 2019 and does not show the visuals of PM Modi’s recent rally in Rajasthan’s Jalore.


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ఈ వైరల్ వీడియో 2012లో రేవంత్ రెడ్డి, డీకే అరుణ మధ్య జరిగిన వాగ్వాదానికి సంబంధించినది. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 5, 2024
ఇటీవల సీఎం అయిన తరువాత రేవంత్ రెడ్డి, డీకే అరుణ మధ్య వాగ్వాదం జరిగింది అని చెప్తూ ఉన్న పోస్ట్ ఒకటి సోషల్ మీడియాలో వైరల్ అవుతోంది. దీనికి మద్దతుగా రేవంత్ రెడ్డి మరియు డికే అరుణ మధ్య వాగ్వాదం జరిగిన వీడియో ఒకటి జత చేసి షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు.ఈ కథనం ద్వారా అందులో ఎంత నిజముందో చూద్దాం.
క్లెయిమ్: సీఎం రేవంత్ రెడ్డి, డీకే అరుణ మధ్య జరిగిన వాగ్వాదం దృశ్యాలను చూపిస్తున్న వీడియో.
ఫాక్ట్(నిజం): ఈ వైరల్ వీడియో కనిపిస్తున్న దృశ్యాలు 2012 సంవత్సరంలో రేవంత్ రెడ్డి, డీకే అరుణ మధ్య జరిగిన వాగ్వాదానికి సంబంధించినవి. 11 ఫిబ్రవరి 2012న జరిగిన మహబూబ్‌నగర్ జిల్లా సమీక్షా సమావేశంలో పాల్గొన్న అప్పటి కొడంగల్ ఎంఎల్ఎ రేవంత్ రెడ్డి తన నియోజికవర్గంలో జరిగే కార్యక్రమాలలో ప్రోటోకాల్ పాటించడం లేదని అప్పటి జిల్లా మంత్రి అయిన డీకే అరుణతో వాగ్వాదానికి దిగారు. కావున పోస్టు ద్వారా చెప్పేది తప్పుదోవ పట్టించే విధంగా ఉంది.
ముందుగా ఇటీవల సీఎం అయిన తరువాత రేవంత్ రెడ్డి, డీకే అరుణ మధ్య వాగ్వాదం జరిగిందా అని ఇంటర్నెట్‌లో వెతికితే, మాకు అలాంటి రిపోర్ట్స్ ఏవీ లభించలేదు. ఒకవేళ అలా జరిగి ఉంటే ఖచ్చితంగా మీడియా ఈ విషయాన్ని రిపోర్ట్ చేసి ఉండేది.
తర్వాత ఈ వైరల్ వీడియోకి సంభందించిన సమచారం కోసం తగిన కీవర్డ్స్ ఉపయోగించి ఇంటర్నెట్‌లో సెర్చ్ చేయగా, ఇవే దృశ్యాలను చూపిస్తున్న అధిక నిడివి గల వీడియో యూట్యూబ్‌లో లభించింది. ఈ వీడియోను TV5 న్యూస్ 11 ఫిబ్రవరి 2012న పబ్లిష్ చేసింది. ఈ వార్త కథనం ప్రకారం మహబూబ్నగర్ జిల్లా సమీక్షా సమావేశంలో టీడీపీకి చెందిన కొడంగల్ ఎంఎల్ఎ రేవంత్ రెడ్డి తన నియోజికవర్గంలో జరిగే కార్యక్రమాలలో ప్రోటోకాల్ పాటించడం లేదని జిల్లా మంత్రి అయిన డీకే అరుణతో వాగ్వాదానికి దిగారు.
ఇదే విషయాన్ని రిపోర్ట్ చేస్తూ వన్ఇండియా కూడా కథనం ప్రచురించింది. దీన్ని బట్టి వైరల్ వీడియో 2012లో రేవంత్ రెడ్డి, డీకే అరుణ మధ్య జరిగిన వాగ్వాదానికి సంబంధించినది అని నిర్ధారించవచ్చు.
చివరగా, ఈ వైరల్ వీడియోలోని దృశ్యాలు 2012లో రేవంత్ రెడ్డి, డీకే అరుణ మధ్య జరిగిన వాగ్వాదానికి సంబంధించినవి..

created: February 5, 2024


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This viral video of a mob beating a Muslim man in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh is being shared with a false communal narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 15, 2024
A post accompanying a video showing a few people brutally beating a young man, with his hands and legs tied with a rope, is circulating widely across social media platforms with the claim that the video depicts a young Muslim man named Nadeem being brutally beaten by a Hindu mob in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: A Muslim man named Nadeem was brutally beaten by a Hindu mob in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.
Fact: There is no communal angle to this incident. According to the FIR filed in this case, the incident occurred on 03 March 2024, in Fulat village, when Nadeem allegedly attempted to molest Afzal’s daughter. All the individuals involved, including both the accused and the complainants, belong to the same Muslim community. Muzaffarnagar police also refuted this claim in response to a post with a similar claim on X(Twitter). Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To verify the authenticity of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search and found a clarification post (archive) on X (formerly Twitter) by the Muzaffarnagar police on 13 March 2024, regarding this incident. The Muzaffarnagar police clarification post states,“The case pertains to the same community in which Ratanpuri police station has registered a case under relevant sections on 04.03.2024 and arrested 03 accused and sent them to jail. Advance legal action is underway by Ratanpuri police station.” This clearly indicates that there is no communal angle in this incident.
प्रकरण एक ही समुदाय से सम्बन्धित है जिसमें थाना रतनपुरी पुलिस द्वारा दिनांक 04.03.2024 को सुसंगत धाराओं में अभियोग पंजीकृत कर 03 अभियुक्तगण को गिरफ्तार कर जेल भेजा जा चुका है। थाना रतनपुरी पुलिस द्वारा अग्रिम विधिक कार्यवाही प्रचलित है।
To know more about this incident, we checked the FIR filed in this case on the Uttar Pradesh police website. According to the FIR, the incident occurred in Fulat village within the jurisdiction of the Ratanpuri police station around 9:30 pm on 03 March 2024. According to the complainant, Afzal, the son of Munna, named Nadeem, entered the house via the terrace and began molesting his daughter. When she protested and shouted, Afzal’s sons arrived and apprehended Nadeem, who managed to escape. Later, Nadeem, along with his brothers Naushad, Dilshad, Mudassir, and Sonu, returned to Afzal’s home, assaulting him and his sons with sticks and spears, and issuing death threats.
Based on this information, it is evident that there is no communal angle to this incident, as all individuals involved, both accused and complainants, belong to the same community.
To sum it up, this viral video of a mob beating a Muslim man in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh is being shared with a false communal narrative.


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This viral video of Bill Gates's interview is FAKE and was created using Deepfake technology - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 9, 2023
A video of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates being interviewed by a journalist has gone viral. In the video, the journalist accuses Gates of stealing Microsoft software and promoting COVID-19 vaccines to make billions. She grills him with tough questions, and the interview ends abruptly after Gates appears frustrated. Let’s check the veracity of the video.
Claim: Interview of Bill Gates where he was accused of stealing Microsoft Software and making money by promoting COVID-19 vaccines.
Fact: This viral video was created using DeepFake Technology. In the original video, uploaded on ABC News (Australia) YouTube channel on 31 January 2023, Gates was questioned on climate change, COVID-19 conspiracy theories, rise of Artificial Intelligence, etc. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
An internet search with relevant keywords led us to the Original video of the interview posted on the ABC News (Australia) YouTube channel on 31 January 2023. In this video, Sarah Ferguson is seen interviewing Bill Gates, and they are both wearing the same outfits as in the viral video.
After watching the entire video, we discovered that the anchor never asked Gates the questions seen in the viral video. Instead, she asked him about a range of other topics, including climate change, COVID-19 conspiracy theories, Elon Musk buying Twitter, Gates’ association with Jeffrey Epstein, his philanthropic activities, and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Viral Video was created using DeepFake Technology:
The viral video was posted on the TikTok account ’bdti989’ but it was later deleted. The archived version can be seen here. This account also posted several deep fake videos of Popular figures like Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, etc.
Deepfake technology refers to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms to create highly convincing fake images, videos, and audio recordings. These synthetic media are designed to appear real and are created by training algorithms on large sets of existing data such as images, videos, and audio recordings. The resulting content can be used to manipulate or deceive people by making it appear as if someone said or did something they did not. To know more about Deepfakes and their detection, click here.
To sum it up, the viral video doesn’t show a real interview with Bill Gates. It is created deep fake technology.


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This viral video showing a man pointing a gun at himself is not related to the Mira Road violence. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 6, 2024
A video of a person surrounded by a group of police, threatening to commit suicide, is widely shared across social media platforms with the claim that the man in the video incited the Mira Road violence by pelting stones at Hindus. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: The video depicts the man who incited the Mira Road violence by pelting stones at Hindus.
Fact: This viral video is from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. According to reports, a Meerut resident named Manish Prajapati filed a case alleging that Rashid and Danish had threatened to murder him by showing a gun in the hotel. When the police went to arrest Rashid and surrounded him, upon seeing himself surrounded by the police, Rashid threatened to commit suicide. This case has no connection with the Mira Road violence. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To check the veracity of the viral video, we performed a reverse image search on the internet using a few of its keyframes, which led us to several news reports (here, here, & here ). According to these reports, in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), a miscreant fired in the air to avoid being caught by the police and then later pointed the pistol at his forehead. Later, the police somehow caught the miscreant.
To know more about this incident, we conducted a relevant keyword search, which led us to several news reports (here, here & here ) reporting this incident. According to these reports, a Meerut resident named Manish Prajapati had filed a case alleging that Rashid and Danish had threatened to murder him by showing a gun in the hotel. In response to this complaint, the police apprehended Danish and went to arrest Rashid. Upon seeing the police surrounding him, Rashid pointed the gun to his head, threatening suicide. However, the accused was caught and taken to the police station. A local journalist named Sachin Gupta from Meerut also shared this video on Twitter (X) on 27 January 2024, identifying the person as Rashid Khan from Meerut.
UP : मेरठ में धमकी देने के आरोपी राशिद को पकड़ने पुलिस गई थी। पुलिस के सामने राशिद ने अपनी कनपटी पर तमंचा लगा लिया। आत्महत्या की धमकी दी। पुलिस ने साहस दिखाकर आरोपी को दबोचा, 2 तमंचे बरामद हुए। pic.twitter.com/ToUnzxgmUv
Regarding this incident, Meerut Police released a Press note from its official X (Twitter) account  stating that, “Police have snatched the pistol from Rashid and arrested him, two 32 bore pistols and cartridges were found with him.” From all this information, it is evident that the viral video is from Meerut. Factly previously debunked multiple claims related to Mira Road Violence can be seen here, here, & here.
#Meerutpolice थाना देहली गेट क्षेत्रान्तर्गत घटना के सम्बन्ध में ब्रीफ नोट #UPPolice pic.twitter.com/Enn1iR7Ev5
To sum it up, this viral video, showing a man pointing a gun at himself, is not related to the Mira Road violence.

created: February 6, 2024


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This viral video shows comments made by Gadkari in jest; The Government is not giving Rs. 500 for sending photographs of wrongly parked vehicles - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 5, 2024
A post accompanying a video clip featuring Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari saying, “I am going to bring a law under which a person sending a photograph of a wrongly parked vehicle will get Rs. 500 if the total fine works out to be Rs. 1,000,” is being widely shared across social media platforms with the claim that the government is offering Rs. 500 for sending photographs of wrongly parked vehicles. In this article, let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: The government is giving Rs. 500 for sending photographs of wrongly parked vehicles.
Fact: There are no reports about the government offering Rs. 500 for submitting photographs of wrongly parked vehicles. This viral video shows comments made by Gadkari in jest during the inauguration ceremony of the Industrial Decarbonization Summit 2022 on 16 July 2022. After highlighting the context that wrong parking is a significant menace, Gadkari humorously stated, “I am going to bring a law under which a person sending a photograph of a wrongly parked vehicle will get Rs 500 if the total fine works out to be Rs 1,000. Then the problem of parking will be solved.” However, the minister’s comment is not supported by any legislative or legal framework as yet. The government has not made any rules concerning this.  Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
To verify the accuracy of the viral claim, we conducted a relevant keyword search and found no reports about the government offering Rs. 500 for submitting photographs of wrongly parked vehicles.
To learn more about the viral video clip featuring Gadkari, we conducted a relevant keyword search on the internet and found the full-length video. It was uploaded on Nitin Gadkari’s official YouTube channel on 16 July 2022, with the title: “Inaugurating ‘Industrial Decarbonization Summit 2022’ (IDS-2022)”. Upon careful review of the entire video, we discovered that Gadkari made this comment seemingly in jest after laying out the context that wrong parking is a significant menace. However, the minister’s comment is not supported by any legislative or legal framework as yet. The government has not made any rules concerning this.
While speaking at this summit, Gadkari expressed concern about the escalating issue of wrong parking that is going unaddressed. He highlighted the significant increase in the number of vehicles in urban areas, sometimes reaching a point where there are cars for every family member and more. Gadkari emphasized that the problem lies in the lack of interest in establishing adequate parking spaces. Using his home in Nagpur as an example, he mentioned owning 12 parking spaces, ensuring none of his cars are ever parked on the roadside. He further said that Delhi residents are lucky people as we have made roads for parking their vehicles…Nobody makes parking spaces, most of them park their vehicles on the streets. He then humorously said “I am going to bring a law under which a person sending photograph of a wrongly parked vehicle will get Rs. 500 if the total fine works out to be Rs. 1,000. Then the problem of parking will be solved”. News reports about this summit can be found here, here, and here. Gadkari had previously made similar comments about wrong parking in the year 2017 (here and here).
To sum it up, this viral video shows comments made by Gadkari in jest; the government is not giving Rs. 500 for sending photographs of wrongly parked vehicles.


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This voice of a person singing Ganesh Stuti is not Abdul Kalam’s, it is swami Omkarananda’s - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 1, 2022
A video is being widely shared on social media platforms claiming that the former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam can be heard singing Ganesh Stuti. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam singing Ganesh Stuti.
Fact: There is no evidence to prove that Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam sang Ganesh stuti in public. Also, we found that the voice in the viral video is different from Abdul Kalam’s voice. Taking a cue from the YouTube comments, we reached out to Swami Omkarananda’s Ashram in Tamil Nadu, and confirmed that the voice in the viral video is Swami Omkarananda’s. Hence the claim made in the video is MISLEADING
First, we compared the voice in the viral video with the voice of Abdul Kalam. Though they sound similar, they are not the same. Next, we searched online if there are any reports about Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam singing Ganesh Stuti but couldn’t find any information. Then, we found that the same video was also uploaded on various YouTube Channels with the same claim. They can be seen here, here and here. We went through the comments under these YouTube videos and found that many comments claim that the voice belongs to Sri Omkarananda Swamiji of Tamil Nadu.
One user also commented that this was an audio message from Swami Omkarananda to bless his devotees on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Taking a cue from this, we searched on various Social Media channels of Swami Omkarananda but couldn’t find this exact Ganesh Stuti by him. But after comparing the voice in the viral videos with that of the Swami Omkarananda’s old audio tapes, it is evident that this Ganesh Stuti was probably sung by him.  Swami Omkarananda passed away in 2021. We reached out to the mail given on his website and they clarified that the voice in the viral video is Swami Omkarananda’s.
Additionally, we found that a Ganesh idol was designed on the top of a Missile like structure in Kanpur during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Kanpur, 2015 as a tribute to Dr Abdul Kalam.
To sum it up, the voice singing Ganesh stuti is not Abdul Kalam’s, it is swami Omkarananda’s

created: September 1, 2022


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This Volkswagen advertisement about a suicide bomber is an old spoof video. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 26, 2020
A video is being shared on social media claiming it as the new commercial advertisement of Volkswagen. This advertisement shows a suicide bomber travelling to a heavily crowded coffee shop in his Volkswagen Polo car. When suicide bomber pushes the button to detonate his bomb, the blast is contained within the car. The ad ends: ‘Polo. Small but tough’. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Volkswagen Polo new commercial advertisement on a suicide bomber.
Fact: This video shows an old Volkswagen spoof advertisement, created by the two London based creative designers in 2005. Volkswagen company clarified that the advertisement commercial on suicide bomber is not created by their company. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On searching for the advertisement shared in the post, we found an article published by ‘The Guardian’ news website on ‘23 January 2005’. In the article, it is mentioned as the spoof advertisement of Volkswagen Polo created in 2005. This advertisement was made by the two London based creative designers Lee Ford and Dan Brooks. Volkswagen organization showed their disgust at the spoof advertisement video on Volkswagen Polo. Volkswagen, in a media statement, had said that they were looking to take legal action against the creators of this commercial.
Volkswagen did not seek damages, after Lee Ford and Dan Brooks agreed to formally apologize for creating commercial. Other articles about this advertisement can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, this Volkswagen advertisement about a suicide bomber is an old spoof video.

created: November 26, 2020