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Old and false Claims of Pakistan flags at Congress rally in Wayanad shared again - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 15, 2024
Posts depicting several people holding green flags on the streets are circulating on social media (here, here and here), with the claim that Pakistani flags were waved at a rally supporting Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad. Let’s verify the claims made in these posts.
Claim: The Video shows Pakistani Flags being raised in Wayanad in support of Rahul Gandhi.
Fact: The viral video showed slogans supporting Rajmohan Unnithan, the Congress candidate in Kasaragod, Kerala during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The New Indian Express published an article featuring the viral footage from a roadshow in 2019 after Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers in Wayanad. Moreover, the flags held in the viral posts are the flags of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and not Pakistan. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On performing reverse image search using the keyframes of the video, we found that this video was shared in 2019 by an unverified channel (archived) claiming it to be from 2019 IUML.
Further, on closer observation of the flag held in the viral posts, we found that it differs from the Pakistan Flag. We found that it is the official flag of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a political party from Kerala. A comparison between both can be seen below. IUML is a Kerala-based party and is a member of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). It is part of the I.N.D.I.A bloc at the national level.
The viral video featuring slogans in support of Rajmohan Unnithan, the Congress candidate in Kasaragod, Kerala in 2019, was previously debunked by The Quint in the same year. Moreover, on the reverse image search of the other viral post, we found that The New Indian Express published an article featuring the same image on 5 April 2019 indicating that the image was clicked during a roadshow in 2019 after Rahul Gandhi filed his nomination papers in Wayanad for the Lok Sabha elections. In the latest rally, Congress did not display any flags (here and here).
To sum up, old and false Claims of Pakistan flags at the Congress rally in Wayanad are shared again in the wake of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.


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Old and irrelevant videos are being circulated falsely linking them to the 2024 general elections - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 22, 2024
A video showing a crowd throwing stones and damaging vehicles adorned with BJP posters is circulating with claims that it captures a confrontation between the public and Aligarh’s BJP candidate Satish Gautam’s supporters over touching the feet of Dalits during his campaign (here, here & here). Additionally, following comments made by Gujarat BJP leader Parshottam Rupala concerning Kshatriyas, the same footage is being shared with assertions that it depicts a public uprising against BJP leaders during the North Gujarat election campaign (here & here). This article aims to verify the accuracy of these claims.
Claim: Video depicting an altercation between public and BJP candidates Satish Gautam and Parshottam Rupala.
Fact: The video shows a confrontation between two BJP factions in Agra, that happened in 2021. The clash erupted between supporters of former minister Aridaman Singh, also known as Bhadawar Maharaj, and former block chief Sugriva Singh Chauhan. These visuals are unrelated to the locations or individuals mentioned in the viral social media posts and the 2024 General elections. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The viral video does show vandalism of vehicles belonging to a BJP leader. However, the footage is from a few years ago, and significantly, it was not ordinary citizens but another BJP leader who was responsible for the damage.
A reverse image search on screenshots from the viral video led to news reports from 2021 showing the same visuals. According to these reports, the video captures a conflict between supporters of two BJP leaders in Agra. It shows a violent altercation involving followers of former minister Aridaman Singh, also known as Bhadawar Maharaj and former block chief Sugriva Singh Chauhan.
Reports indicate that the clash broke out due to a show of strength between two factions, each vying for the BJP ticket from the Bah assembly constituency. In response to the incident, the then City Superintendent of Police, Vikas Kumar, reported that seven vehicles were damaged in the clash. He stated, “We will identify the culprits from the video footage available and take strict action against them. Our team is investigating the matter, and legal measures will be implemented accordingly. However, the situation is now under control.”
थाना पिनाहट क्षेत्र अंतर्गत दो पक्षों के समर्थकों के मध्य हुए विवाद की सूचना पर पुलिस बल द्वारा तत्काल घटनास्थल पर पहुंचकर, प्राप्त वीडियो फुटेज एवं साक्ष्य संकलन के आधार पर की जा रही वैधानिक कार्यवाही के संबंध में पुलिस अधीक्षक नगर आगरा द्वारा दी गई बाइट। pic.twitter.com/VFYBmLkCzA
Several news agencies, which can be viewed here, here, and here, also reported these visuals as a clash between two BJP leaders. This confirms that the footage is unrelated to the locations or individuals mentioned in the viral social media posts.
To sum up, old and irrelevant videos are being circulated falsely linking them to the 2024 general elections.

source: news-factly

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

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Old and unrelated exit poll visuals circulated as the exit poll results for the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 27, 2023
Multiple posts (here and here) are being shared on social media claiming they show exit polls of Rajasthan assembly elections, 2023. Let’s verify these claims made in the posts.
Claim: Posts display the results of exit polls in the Rajasthan Assembly elections of 2023.
Fact: The posts are either disseminating exit poll results from past assembly elections or spreading unverified information claiming to be the results of current exit polls. However, the Election Commission, as per Section 126A of the Representation of People’s Act, issued a notice on 31 October 2023, prohibiting the disclosure of exit poll results until 30 November 2023, in all five states where elections are taking place. Hence, the claims made in these posts are FALSE.
On performing a reverse image search on the post purporting to display exit poll information for Rajasthan from various news channels, it was discovered that the included screenshot actually depicts the exit poll results from 2018 in Rajasthan.
On conducting a keyword search related to the post claiming the presentation of district-wise exit poll results for the Rajasthan Assembly elections in 2023, it was determined that these claims are unsubstantiated. In fact, numerous YouTube channels have presented opinion polls and exit poll forecasts (here and here).
However, it is important to note that the election commission issued a notice on 31 October 2023 prohibiting the announcement of exit poll results as per Section 126A of the Representation of People’s Act. The commission stated that “conducting and publishing or publicizing the exit poll by means of the print or electronic media or dissemination in any other manner whatsoever during the period between 7:00 am on November 7, 2023 (Tuesday) and 6.30 pm on November 30, 2023 (Thursday).”
To sum up, outdated and unrelated exit poll visuals are being circulated as the exit poll results for the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections.

created: November 27, 2023


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Old and unrelated images are being attributed to the recent communal violence in Tripura - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 29, 2021
In the last few days, there have been reports of communal violence in Tripura. In this context, a group of images is being shared on social media attributing them to these recent incidents. Few posts which shared such images can be seen here,  here, here, here, and here. Let’s fact-check the authenticity of these images.
Claim: Images of recent communal violence in Tripura.
Fact: Although there have been recent incidents of communal violence reported from Tripura, these viral images have nothing to do with them. While most of the images have nothing to do with Tripura, couple of images are related to clashes which erupted between BJP & CMP activists last month. Most of the other images are related to CAA protests in Delhi, Guwahati, etc. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Image 1:
This is image is related to clashes which broke out between workers of BJP and CPM supporters in Agartala in September 2021. Reverse image search of this photo yielded multiple news articles which reported the same image. Indian express reported the same image on 8 September 2021, the description of the image reads ‘Vehicles in flames after clashes between BJP supporters and CPM activists in Agartala’. The image is credited to PTI.
‘Fresh clashes between workers of the ruling BJP and Opposition CPM in Tripura left ten persons injured, two party offices gutted, a few others vandalised and at least six vehicles set on fire’ Indian Express reported. Few other news article which reported the same image can be read here and here.
Image 2:
This image shows a procession carried out by Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Jadavpur, Kolkata to celebrate Ram Navami back in 2018. Reverse image search of this photo yielded multiple news articles which reported the same image. Hindustan Times published the same image and the description associated with the image reads ‘VHP supporters take out a religious procession to celebrate Ram Navami in, Jadavpur area in Kolkata, on March 25, 2018’. Further, the image is credited to ‘Samir Jana / HT Photo’.
Image 3:
Back in November 2020, the central government announced that around 35,000 Bru tribals from Mizoram will be rehabilitated in the Panisagar area of Tripura. Following the decision, locals of the Panisagar protested which eventually led to police firing. This particular image shared in the viral post is related to this protest. Times Now published the same image in its report about the protests.
Few other news reports which covered the same protests also published the same image, these news articles can be read here and here.
Image 4:
This image is actually from the CAA & NRC protests back in February 2020 in Delhi. Reverse image search of the photo yielded multiple news articles which published the same image attributing it to the protests that followed the enactment of CAA. Taking a cue from these articles, further search led us to the same on Getty Images, a stock image repository. The description with this image confirms that this image shows protests carried out in Delhi in November 2020 against the CAA. The image is credited to Sajjad Hussain/AFP.
Few other news articles which attributed it to the 2020 CAA protests can be read here and here.
Image 5:
This image is actually from the CAA & NRC protests back in December 2019 in Assam. Reverse image search of the photo yielded multiple news articles which published the same image attributing it to the protests that followed the enactment of CAA. India Today published the same image in one of its reports and the image is credited to PTI.
Other news articles which attributed the same image to CAA protests in Assam can be read here.
Image 6:
Reverse image search of the photo yielded news articles which reported the same image. As per Times of India article, the image is related to the violence which took place between BJP and CPM party supporters in Agartala, Tripura last month.
Another news article which published the same image attributing it to the BJP and CPM clashes which happened last month can be read here. Official twitter handle of AITC Tripura also shared the same image on 08 September 2021.
VHP organized a rally in Panisagar, subdivision of North Tripura protesting the recent attacks on Hindus and Durga pandals in Bangladesh. And there have also been reports of  attacks on mosques and shops of Muslims by VHP activists in Panisagar, Rowa and other parts of Tripura. In this context, few videos and images are being shared claiming that a Mosque has been set on fire in Panisagar. However, we could not find the authentic source of the viral images and videos. Tripura police clarified that no such incident happened at any Mosque in Panisagar, they also shared images of a Mosque in Panisagar which shows the Mosque in good condition.
Tripura Police appeals to all not to spread rumours.
Below are photographs of masjid in Panisagar. It is evident that masjid is safe and secure. pic.twitter.com/kp1oCEBa8T
To sum it up, old and unrelated images are being attributed to the recent communal violence in Tripura.

created: October 29, 2021


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Old and unrelated images are being falsely shared as those of recent floods in Bihar. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 10, 2020
Images claiming to be those of recent floods in Bihar are doing rounds on social media platforms. Through this article lets fact-check the claim.
Images showing the current pathetic conditions in flood-hit Bihar.
Fact: Though Bihar is hit by floods recently, not all images shown in the post belong to recent floods. A couple of images are related to floods in Bihar which occurred in 2013, whereas the rest of the images are no way related to the recent floods in Bihar. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Images 1 & 2 (Clockwise direction):
When we ran a reverse image search of both the images on google, we found that these images are related to Bihar floods which occurred in 2013. BBC published these images in its article reporting the floods, the news article can be seen here.
Image 3:
On google reverse image search of this photo, we found that the image is a screenshot of a scene from a 2006 HBO mini-series called ‘Tsunami: The Aftermath’ directed against the backdrop of Tsunami which occurred in the Indian Ocean in 2004. The video from which the image is extracted can be seen here.
America’s NPR, a non-profit media organization has published the same image in a blog which published the transcripts of the interview with a TV critic discussing the same mini-series.
Image 4:
On google reverse image search, we came across a news article which published the same image in its report regarding the floods in Bangladesh. The article dates backs to 01 August 2016. With this, we can conclude that the image has nothing to do with the recent floods in Bihar. However, we could not find any conclusive evidence to show that this image related to Bangladesh floods.
Image 5:
A reverse image search of the photo led us to a Nepalese new article which published the same image in an article which reported crowd funding for flood victims in Nepal. The article was published on 19 August 2017.  We can conclude that this image in the claim is old one and not related to the recent Bihar floods. However, we could not find a credible source attributing this image to Nepal floods.
Also we found an image on Getty Images which closely resembles the one in the claim.  According to the description of the image, the photo was clicked back in 2016 in Lahore, Pakistan where a large number of people took bath in the canal water to beat the heat in summer.
In a nutshell, couple of old images related to Bihar floods in 2013 and few unrelated images are being falsely shared as images of recent flood hit Bihar.
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Old and unrelated images are being shared as ‘Andhra Pradesh Police brutality on women farmers’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 17, 2020
A post with three pictures  is being shared with a claim that they represent the Andhra Pradesh Police brutality on women farmers. Let’s try to analyze the claim.
Photos of Andhra Pradesh Police brutality on women farmers.
Fact: The photos included in the post are from various protests in different states but are not related to the current protests over the capital city in the state of Andhra Pradesh. So, the claim is FALSE.
Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has proposed three capitals to the state on December 17, 2019. Since then, farmers who had earlier donated their lands for ‘Amaravati’ have been protesting against it.
Image-1:
The same photo can be found in a tweet made in November 2018. The same photo can also be found in a YouTube video uploaded in May 2018. While the context of the photo cannot be ascertained with the available information, it can be concluded that the photo is not related to the recent protests in AP. Previously, when the same photo was shared with a different claim, FACTLY has written a fact-check article, which can be read here.
Image-2:
The image was found in the photo library of ‘Reuters’. As per the description, the photo is of Delhi Police trying to detain a JNU student who was protesting against a proposed fee hike. The photo was taken on November 18, 2019.
Image-3:
The image was found in the December 12, 2019 article of ‘Firstpost’. From the article, the photo was found to be from a protest against Citizenship Amendment Bill in Guwahati (Assam).
The same photos are also being shared as people injured in the anti-CAA protests in Assam.
To sum it up, old and unrelated images are being shared as ‘Andhra Pradesh Police brutality on women farmers’
Did you watch our new video in the DECODE series?

created: January 17, 2020


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Old and unrelated images are being shared as ‘RSS attack on Muslims in Telangana’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 16, 2019
A couple of images are being shared on social media with a claim that RSS members attacked Muslims and burned their houses at a village in Telangana. It is also claimed that Asaduddin Owaisi got injured in this attack. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Photos of the attack on Muslims by RSS men in Telangana.
Fact: The photos in the post does not belong to the state of Telangana. Also, these photos were not taken recently (one was taken in 2017 and the other in 2006). Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched for the news on this issue on Google, no latest news was found related to RSS workers attacking Muslims in Telangana or Owaisi getting hurt in the attack. In the post, there are two photos. Let’s try to check when and where those photos were taken.
Photo 1:
When this image in the post wan run through the Google Reverse Image Search, the same picture was found to be uploaded on Adobe Stock by ‘Cathal Mcnaughton / Reuters’ in April-2017. The description for the picture reads, “Hindu Yuva Vahin vigilante members take part in a rally in the city of Unnao”. So, this photo was not taken in Telangana.
Photo 2:
On Google Reverse Image Search, this photo was found in a photo-essay (‘2006: India Grieved’) published by the ‘Outlook’ magazine in December 2006. The description below the picture reads, “At least two people were killed and dozens injured in communal clashes in Mangalore and adjoining areas after a van carrying cattle to a slaughter house was stopped by Bajrang Dal activists.” So, this photo was taken 13 years back in Mangalore (Karnataka), not in Telangana.
To sum it up, old and unrelated images are being shared as ‘RSS attack on Muslims in Telangana’.  There is no news of such an attack taking place.
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Old and unrelated images are shared as weapons seized from 6 clerics in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 17, 2023
A post with multiple images of weapons is being shared on social media claiming that 6 clerics were arrested and a stockpile of weapons were recovered in the raid on Madarsa in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. The post also claims that a light machine gun was found in the stockpile.
Claim: A stockpile of illegal weapons including a light machine gun was seized from a Madarsa in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.
Fact: Bijnor police arrested 6 clerics in 2019 for smuggling illegal weapons. However, the police did not report recovering a light machine gun. Also, the rest of the images posted are unrelated to the incident. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
On reverse image search of one of the images in the post, a similar image was found on Twitter posted by Bijnor police station on 11 July 2019. The tweet by Bijnor police confirms that 6 accused were arrested for smuggling illegal weapons including 5 pistols and cartridges in Madarsa. Further keyword searches for any related news led us to news reports (here and here) mentioning the details of the case. However, there is no mention of a light machine gun being held anywhere.
थाना शेरकोट @bijnorpolice द्वारा मदरसे में अवैध शस्त्रों की तस्करी करते 06 अभियुक्तगण 01 पिस्टल, 04 तमंचे व भारी मात्रा में कारतूसों सहित गिरफ्तार। #uppolice @Uppolice @adgzonebareilly @digmoradabad @News18India pic.twitter.com/WDj3kkBfIu
While the third image shared in the post is related to the claim, the remaining images posted are not related to the incident. The first two images are related to lethal weapons recovered in Rajkot, Gujarat. The fourth image is from a sword manufacturing factory in Punjab. Others are, an image found on a Canada-based e-commerce website and an image of foreigners arrested from different madarsas respectively. Earlier when these images were shared claiming that weapons were recovered from various places, Factly published fact-check articles debunking these claims. These can be read here, here, and here.
To sum up, unrelated and old photos are being posted as images of seized weapons including a light machine gun from a madarsa in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.


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Old & unrelated images are shared attributing them to the Indian military and Kashmir - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 14, 2021
A social media post accompanying three images of a building engulfed in fire, shrouded bodies lined up on the ground, and a group of men beating a man with sticks is being shared widely.  The posts claim that these images show Indian forces’ crackdown on Kashmiris. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Images showing Indian forces’ crackdown on Kashmiris.
Fact: These images are old and have nothing to do with Kashmir. While couple of images are related to CAA protests back in 2020, the image of a building on fire shows Dastageer Sahib shrine in JK which was gutted by fire back in 2012.  Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Image 1:
The image shows 200-year-old Dastageer Sahib Shrine in Jammu Kashmir which was gutted by fire back in 2012. Reverse image of this photo led us to a 2012 news article that reported about the JK government’s decision to conduct a fire safety audit of all shrines. This article published the same image in the post. According to the article, the image shows Dastageer Sahib Shrine which was gutted in a fire accident in 2012.
Further, the image in the above article is credited to PTI. Upon search on PTI archive, we found the same image with a description which reads “Fire fighters and locals try to douse a massive fire that broke out at the 200-year-old Sufi heritage shrine of Dastageer Sahib at Khaniyar in Srinagar on Monday”.
Multiple news agencies have reported the incident back in 2012. As per one such article, the fire started in the dome of the wooden shrine due to a short circuit and soon engulfed the whole building.
Image 2:
The image is related to the CAA protests in Delhi in 2020. Reverse image search of this photo yielded multiple news articles which published the same image. In one such listicle which listed the works of recently died Pulitzer prize winning photographer Danish Siddique, the same image is listed with a description which reads “A group of men beat a man during protests sparked by the Citizenship Amendment Act in Delhi on February 24, 2020.”
A couple of other news articles which published the same image, with the same description can be seen here and here.
Image 3:
This image is in circulation on the internet since 2020. Reverse image search of this photo led us to multiple social media posts dating back to 2020, attributing the image to anti-CAA protests in Aurangabad. A couple of these posts can be seen here and here.
Further, a Hindi regional news article published the same image. According to the article, protesters wore white shrouds and laid down in protest against the CAA and NRC. Moreover, upon close observation of this image, we can clearly spot ‘CAA’ & ‘NRC’ on one of the placards.
To sum it up, old and unrelated images are being shared attributing them to the Indian military and Kashmir.

created: October 14, 2021


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Old and unrelated images of Pro-Khalistan protests are falsely linked to the ongoing farmers' protest - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 16, 2020
A post accompanying a set of images that show protesters holding pro-Khalistan and anti-India placards is being widely shared across social media platforms linking them to the ongoing farmers’ protest. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Protesters holding Pro-Khalistan and anti-India placards in farmer’s protest.
Fact: These are old images. Some of them even date back to 2016. These images have nothing to do with the ongoing farmers protest against the news farm laws.  Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Image 1:
Reverse image search of this photo led us to a 2019 news article which carried the same image. The article reports about a Sikh diaspora group called Sikhs for Justice’s (SFJ) idea to conduct a referendum in November 2020 to achieve Punjab independence from India. The description of the image in the article reads “A demonstration of pro-independence Sikh’s in the North American diaspora in 2018”. Taking a cue from this article Google search with relevant keywords led us to a 2018 news article which reported these protests.
Further search led us to few 2019 & 2020 news articles which carried the same image. All these establish that this image is an old one and has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Image 2:
Reverse image search of this photo led us to a 2018 news article which carried the same image. In this article, the image was credited to Getty Images.
Taking a cue from the article, a search on Getty images website with relevant keywords yielded us the original image. The description of the image reads “Sikhs stage an anti-war rally to protest conflict between India and Pakistan at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, NY, USA on October 11, 2016”.
Image 3:
Reverse image search of the photo in the post led us to a news article which carried the same image. The image published in the article is credited to AFP.
Taking a cue from the image credit in the news article, a search for AFP contributed images on stock photography website led us to the same image on Getty Images. According to the description associated with this image on the website, the image was clicked back in 2013 on the 29 anniversary of ‘Operation Blue star’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. This establishes that the image is an old one and has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Image 4:
Google search with relevant keywords led us to a 29 November 2020 news article which reported the ongoing farmers’ protest against the new farm laws. This article carried the same image.
As far as the news that SFJ (Sikhs For Justice), a banned pro-Khalistan organization’s offer to the farmers is considered, we found out that the organization has indeed offered to pay one million dollars to those farmers who had defaulted to pay loans. However, the farm bodies rejected SFJ’s offer for financial aid.
In the wake of the ongoing protests by farmers over the farm bills, posts like these are being widely shared on social media platforms with misleading claims.
To sum it up, old and unrelated images from Pro-Khalistan protests are falsely being attributed to the ongoing farmers’ protests.

created: December 16, 2020


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Old and unrelated images recirculated with a false narrative of Robbery - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 27, 2020
A post with a photo collage which claims that an armed robbery gang is active in Hisar is doing rounds on social media. Through this article lets fact-check the claim made in the post.
An armed robbery gang is active in Hisar.
Fact: The same images are being circulated on the internet at least since 2015. Also, we did not find any information regarding Hisar robbery gang. It can thus be concluded that old and unrelated images are being shared in support of a cooked-up story. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Image 1(clockwise):
Reverse image search of this photo led us to an archived article dated 29 September 2015 in which the same image is featured. This article reports an alleged crime which happened in Mumbai. However, we did not find any credible source to prove that this image is related to this particular crime, but we can conclude that the image is old as per the date of the article.
Image 2:
By reverse image search of this photo, we found that this image is doing rounds on the internet at least since October 2015. Many social media users across borders shared this image. The same image is shared by social media users in Oman, Brazil etc. with different claims. However, we did not find the original source of this image. But by looking at the timeline of the social media posts which shared this image, we can conclude that this image old and not related to the alleged robbery gang of Hisar.
Image 3:
Reverse image search of this photo led us to Deviantart, an online community featuring artwork, videography and photography. This particular image is featured under the profile Viergacht and it was published in 2011. According to the description below the image, this is a cryptid creature. When the same image went viral in 2017 with a different claim related to Rajasthan, it was debunked by Lallantop which can be read here. With this, we can conclude that this is an old image and has nothing to do with alleged Hisar robbery gang.
Image 4:
We did not find the original source of this image. However, we also did find any information attributing this image to an alleged Hisar robbery gang or the remaining images in the post.
Social media posts with the same set of images and the same claim are doing rounds on the internet at least since 2017. A couple of these posts can be seen here and here. Also, we did not find any information regarding the alleged recent robbery in Hisar. All this makes it clear that the images in the post are very old and have got nothing to do with Hisar and that the news about robbery in Hisar are also false.
To sum it up, a few unrelated images are being shared with a false narrative.
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Old unrelated images shared as farmers disrespecting the national flag in the ongoing protests - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 16, 2020
Multiple photos are being shared on social media claiming them as the pictures of anti-India protests organized by the farmers in the country. They can be seen here and here. In these posts, we can see the images of few Sikh men insulting India’s National flag. Amid the ongoing farmers’ protest over the new farm acts, these posts are going viral on social media.  Let’s verify the authenticity of the claims made in the post.
Claim: Farmers disrespecting the national flag in the ongoing protests against the new farm legislation.
Fact: These photos show different protests organized by the Sikh community in the United States. These photos have nothing to do with the ongoing farmer protests against the new farm legislation in the country. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Photo-1:
On reverse image search of the photo shared in this post, we found old posts shared by few users on social media during 2014. They can be seen here, here and here. The same image is also found on ‘Hate India End India’ blog spot. This photo was found posted in ‘Hate India End India’ blog on ‘13 December 2013’. This blog mentions the persons in the photo as Khalistan Youth.
When we searched for more information using these keywords, we found a video posted by ‘Khalsa Foundation USA’ showing the same persons as shown in the photo. This video was uploaded to YouTube on ‘19 August 2013’. The description of the video mentions it to be from Sikh protest against 15 August parade in Fremont, California. From all these pieces of evidence, we can conclude that the photo shared in the post is related to the 2013 Sikhs protest in California.
Photo-2:
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, a similar image was found in an album created by the user named Harpreet Dhillon in ‘Flickr’ website. This album titled as “Protest against 15 August India Independence Parade in Fremont, California”. In the website, it is mentioned that this photo was taken on ‘16 August 2009’. So, the image shared in the post is old and has nothing to do with the recent farmers’ protest over the new farm bills.
Another image of Sikh protester disrespecting the Indian national flag was falsely linked to the farmers’ protest and was recently debunked by Factly.
To sum it up, old photos of Sikh protest in the US disrespecting the Indian national flag are falsely linked to the ongoing farmers protest over the new farm bills.


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Old and unrelated photo falsely shared as 'Family committed suicide due to hunger during the lockdown' - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 6, 2020
A photo is being shared widely on social media with a claim that it shows a family which committed suicide out of hunger during the lockdown in the country. FACTLY has found that the photo is an old one. The same photo was published by ‘Sakshi’ newspaper in June 2019. The incident happened in Karnataka. It was found that the lady in the picture killed her children and committed suicide due to problems with her husband.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact – Sakshi Article (archived here)
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/woman-commits-suicide-after-killing-her-three-children-in-karnataka-village/articleshow/69836711.cms
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Old and unrelated photo falsely shared as ‘Rickshaw puller died due to hunger during the lockdown’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 6, 2020
A photo is being shared widely on social media claiming that the rickshaw puller has died due to lack of food during the current lockdown. FACTLY has found the photo to be old. It is not related to any recent incident. The photo was found to exist on the internet at least since 2017. It was found on the ‘steemit’ website with the description – ‘see the sleeping posture of the rickshaw puller after getting drunk’. FACTLY was unable to verify the context of the photo, but it was found to exist prior to the announcement of the nationwide lockdown to curb COVID-19.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. Earlier source – https://steemit.com/funny/@rituparnaghosh/the-ultimate-drunkard
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Old and unrelated photos are being falsely shared as the photos of injured in the anti-CAA protests - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 16, 2019
A couple of photos are being shared on social media with a claim that the child and woman in the photos were injured during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) in West Bengal. It is being claimed that they got injured in the hands of rioters. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Photos the child and woman who got injured in the anti-CAA protests in West Bengal.
Fact: The photos in the post are not related to the anti-CAA protests. While the injured child’s photo is related to a train accident in Bangladesh, the injured woman photo is in circulation from last year. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Photo 1:
When the image in the post was run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, the same photo was found in an article by ‘United News of Bangladesh’. The article is related to a train collision in Brahmanbaria district (Bangladesh) and was published on 12 November 2019. In another article, it can be read that the child in the photo is Naima and she got injured in the train collision. So, the child in the photo did not get injured in the anti-CAA protests.
Photo 2:
On searching the photo through Yandex Reverse Image Search, the same photo can be found in a tweet made in November 2018. The same photo can be also found in a YouTube video uploaded in May 2018. While the context of the photo cannot be ascertained with the available information, it can be concluded that the photo is not related to the recent anti-CAA protests.
To sum it up, old and unrelated photos are being shared as the photos of injured in the anti-CAA protests.
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created: December 16, 2019


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Old and unrelated photos are falsely attributed to the Iranian President’s helicopter crash - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 22, 2024
Update (22 May 2024):
Another couple of videos (here and here) have been circulating on social media claiming to show the footage of the Iran President’s Helicopter crash. Let’s verify the authenticity of these videos.
Video 1:
Contrary to the claim, we found that the video has existed on the internet since 2016 and has nothing to do with the Helicopter crash of Iran President Ebrahim Riasi. Through a reverse image search on a few of the viral video’s keyframes, we found news reports (here, here and here) from 2016 about the viral video. As per the reports, the video shows a Turkish helicopter shot down by the Kurdish fighters.
Video 2:
A reverse image search of the keyframes extracted from the viral video led us to the same video uploaded on YouTube in August 2022, titled “Helicopter crash in Panama with a presidential candidate on board. All survived #panama.” Further media reports (here and here) from August 2022 confirmed that the video shows a helicopter carrying Panamanian presidential candidate Dimitri Flores and six other people, crashed in a mountainous area in western Panama. All of them were rescued from the accident.
Published (21 May 2024):
After the news of the fatal helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and a few officials broke the internet, social media was flooded with photos (here, here, and here) claiming to be from the crash site. We fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Visuals of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter crash site.
Fact: Exept for one photo, which is realsed by the Iranian state media labeling it as the photo taken at the crash site, all the other photos shared in this post actually show the crash site of a police training plane that killed two people in Iran’s Mazandaran province back in April 2020. Hence, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
To check the veracity of the viral claim, we performed a reverse image search on each of these photos individually. Through this search, we found that the viral photos are old and unrelated except for one photo (here and here), which belongs to the actual crash site of the Iran President’s helicopter.
As per the news reports from April 2020 (here, here, and here), an Iranian police training plane crash-landed in the forests of Mazandaran province’s Salmanshahr. This plane was flying from Bisheh Kolah to the capital city of Iran, Tehran.
Iranian Red Crescent Society, a Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organisation, also posted photos of this crash on ‘X’ in April 2020. This makes it clear that visuals of a plane crash from April 2020 are falsely shared as the photos of the helicopter crash site of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.
#سقوط_هواپیما در مازندران/خلبان و کمک خلبان جان‌باختند
رییس سازمان امدادونجات:
یک فروند هواپیما که از بیشه کلاه به مقصد تهران در حال پرواز بوده است بر اساس گزارش مردمی و نهادهای نظامی در ساعت ۱۳:۰۰ UTC، حوالی #متل‌قو (سلمان شهر) سقوط کرد
جزییات بیشترhttps://t.co/7tFY8jxgGM pic.twitter.com/Owei5h4bB7
To sum up, old and unrelated photos of a plane crash are falsely shared as visuals from the Iranian President’s helicopter crash site.


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Old and unrelated pictures shared as the latest pictures of Imran Khan after he was shot at during Gujranwala rally - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 3, 2022
Multiple photos are being shared on social media claiming them as the latest pictures of former Pakistan PM Imran Khan after he was shot at during a rally in Gujranwala, Pakistan. They can be seen here and here. Few news channels including the ‘News 24’ channel have shared similar pictures stating them to be the latest pictures of Imran Khan. Let’s verify the claims made in these posts.
Claim: Latest pictures of Imran Khan after after he was shot at during a rally in Gujranwala, Pakistan
Fact: The first photo was taken in 2014 when Imran Khan was holding the Azadi March rally against Nawaz Sharif’s government in Pakistan. The other photo was taken in 2013 when Imran Khan was injured after falling from a makeshift stage during a campaign rally in Lahore. The photos shared in these posts are old and do not show the latest pictures after the recent attack. Hence, the claims made in the posts is FALSE.
Photo 1:
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, the same photo was found published on the official Twitter handle of Imran Khan on 17 August 2014. Imran Khan published this photo with the description, “Night at the dharna”. When we searched for further details of this photo, we found that the photo was taken during the Azadi March, a rally launched by Imran Khan’s PTI party demanding the resignation of then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Hence, it can be confirmed that the photo shared in the post is old and does not show the latest pictures of Imran Khan after he was shot at.
Night at the dharna. pic.twitter.com/5ppIGJAs1S
Photo 2: (Archived)
On reverse image search, the same photo was found in an article published by the ‘Express’ news website on 07 May 2013. The description of the photo states, “Imran Khan suffered head injuries following the fall.” According to the article, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Party Chairman Imran Khan suffered an injury to his head after falling off from a makeshift stage during a rally in Lahore. Reporting the same, Al Jazeera published a video showing similar visuals in May 2013. This incident reportedly took place while campaigning for the 2013 General Elections in Pakistan. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the photo shared in the post is old and does not show the latest pictures of Imran Khan.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan suffered a bullet injury in the leg after he was shot at during a rally in Gujranwala, Pakistan. The Latest visuals of Imran Khan after suffering a bullet injury during the recent attack can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, old and unrelated pictures are being shared as the latest pictures of Imran Khan after he was shot at during a rally in Gujranwala, Pakistan.

created: November 3, 2022


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Old and unrelated suicide photos are being shared in the context of COVID-19 outbreak - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 24, 2020
A couple of photos are being shared widely on social media with a claim that they show an Italian man, who has lost his entire family to Coronavirus, committing suicide. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Photos of Italian man committing suicide after he lost his entire family to COVID-19.
Fact: The video was taken in Spain and is found to be in circulation on the internet at least since the last week of December 2019. But, the first COVID-19 death was reported only in the second week of January 2019 in China. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photos were run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, a video with similar visuals were found in the search results. The video was uploaded on 27 December 2020 with the title – ‘Man Jumps To His Death From The Top Of Hotel Valencia Center In Spain’. When searched with the hotel name, it can be seen that the hotel is in Spain. As the first COVID-19 death was reported only in the second week of January 2020 in China, it can be concluded that suicide is not related to COVID-19.
Also, the Valencia Police has clarified to ‘MALDITA.ES’ that it was a woman, not man, who committed suicide.
To sum it up, old and unrelated suicide photos are being shared in the context of COVID-19 outbreak.
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Old and unrelated video and photos falsely shared as ‘Ooty-Coimbatore roads have been claimed by its original owners’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 9, 2020
A photo and a video are being shared widely on social media with a claim that ‘Ooty-Coimbatore roads have been claimed by its original owners’. Let’s analyze the claim made in the post.
Visuals of Ooty-Coimbatore roads claimed by its original owners – Peacocks and Wild Boars.
Fact: The photo of peacocks is an old one and was taken at Chhatbir Zoo (Chandigarh). Also, the video of wild boars was found to be on the internet much before the lockdown was imposed in India. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Peacock Photo:
When searched on the internet, it was found that the same photo was posted by a Facebook user in June 2019. Also, a similar but different photo was found on Twitter with the description – ‘Peacocks block a road in Chandigarh, India.  Photo by Vama Dalal’. When FACTLY contacted the photographer, she said that the picture was taken at Chattbir Zoo (Chandigarh). Also, the same location with similar visuals can be seen in a YouTube video showing ‘safari’ in the Chattbir Zoo. So, the photo is old, and it was not taken on the Ooty-Coimbatore roads.
Wild Boar video:
When the screenshots of the video were run through the Google Reverse Image Search, the same video was found uploaded on YouTube on 10 February 2020 i.e. much before the lockdown was imposed in India. Also, a Spanish website has written an article on the same video in February 2020. The website claims that the video was taken on a road in Spain but FACTLY could not independently ascertain the location of the video with the available information. So, the video is old and was taken much before the lockdown in India.
Previously, a photo of a herd of deer sitting in the middle of a road was also shared as ‘Ooty-Coimbatore road is now reclaimed by its original owners’. Factly found that the image is at least 6 years old and is from Japan.
To sum it up, old and unrelated video and photos falsely shared as ‘Ooty-Coimbatore roads have been claimed by its original owners’.
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Old and unrelated video falsely shared as ‘Saffron flags on Jamshedpur houses after Police removed flags at fruit shops’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 2, 2020
A video is being shared widely on social media with a claim that after Jharkhand Police had harassed poor fruit sellers who put saffron flags on their vegetable carts and fruit shops, residents of Jamshedpur have now put up saffron flags on their rooftops. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Jamshedpur residents have put up saffron flags on their rooftops after Police removed saffron flags at fruit shops of some sellers.
Fact: On 25 April 2020, the Jamshedpur Police have removed ‘Hindu Fal Dukaan’ banners at some fruit stalls. But the posted video is on the internet at least since 02 April 2020. So, the video was not taken after the removal of banners. Also, the video is not related to Jamshedpur. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When searched about Jamshedpur police removing saffron flags at vegetable and fruit shops, it was found that the Jamshedpur Police have removed ‘Hindu Fal Dukaan’ banners at some fruit stalls on 25 April 2020. The tweet by Jamshedpur Police regarding the incident can be seen here. Also, news articles can be read here and here.
On observing the posted video, in one frame at 9 seconds, a lighthouse-like structure can be seen. But Jamshedpur is not located on the coast (Even Jharkhand State does not have a coastline). So, when searched further, the same video (archived) posted by another user was found. But, in that video, a TikTok username (@mitest.makwana.hindu) can be seen.
So, when searched on his TikTok account, it was found that he uploaded (archived) the same video on 2 April 2020. So, the video was not taken after the removal of banners.
On his account, a lot of other similar videos with saffron flags can be seen. He has also mentioned in some videos that the videos were taken at his village – ‘Nava Bandar’. Nava Bandar is a coastal village in Gujarat. Also, a similar lighthouse, as seen in the posted video, can be seen in his other video. Also, on the map, a lighthouse can be located in the Nava Bandar village.
To sum it up, anold and unrelated video falsely shared as ‘Saffron flags on Jamshedpur housesafter Police removed flags at fruit shops’
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Old and unrelated video misrepresented as Gazans faking deaths amid Israel-Palestine conflict - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 8, 2023
A video depicting individuals wrapped in white cloth, appearing as dead bodies, with one of them opening their eyes, is circulating on social media platforms. This video is being shared with an accompanying claim that it demonstrates Gazans faking deaths amidst the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. This fact-check aims to ascertain the veracity of this claim.
Claim: The video shows Gazans faking their deaths in the context of the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Fact: The viral video predates the current Israel-Palestine conflict as it was posted on TikTok in August 2023 while the conflict began in October 2023. Upon further research, we found that the video is part of a course on proper Islamic burial practices, not Gazans faking death. Therefore, the claim is rated as False.
To investigate the claim, we initiated a reverse image search using keyframes from the viral video. This process led us to the same video posted on a TikTok account named @metjetak17 in August 2023, which was months before the Israel-Palestine conflict started in October 2023. The account and accompanying text on the video were in Malay, Malaysia’s official language.
Further online research led us to a thread on the website 9Gag that contained the viral video. Some users in the thread claimed the video portrayed a lesson on executing a proper Islamic burial.
Subsequent internet searches revealed similar videos (here, here, and here) labelled as “Kursus Pengendali Jenazah”, translating to “Mortuary Handler Course” or “Corpse Management Course” in English.
Its Malaysia. The outfit. The scenary. Our mosque always have Janazah Management Course. They teach how to manage dead body. You can even see the pink shirt guy with mic. He must be an instructor. And this tiktok posted 8/19. Way before the war start. pic.twitter.com/2qNg0ggDie
We also discovered that the same video was posted on an Instagram account @myraudahhq on 21 August 2023, crediting the original TikTok uploader, @metjetak17. The caption on the Instagram post indicated that the video was from a funeral management course, which aligns with the “Corpse Management Course” discovered in our previous searches.
A post shared by My Raudah Official HQ (@myraudahhq)
Although we were unable to pinpoint the exact location where the video was shot, the fact it was posted in August 2023, well before the start of the Israel-Palestine conflict in October 2023, refutes the claim that it shows Gazans faking death during the conflict.
To sum up, the video in question doesn’t depict Gazans faking their deaths amidst the Israel-Palestine conflict but rather showcases educational training on standard Islamic burial procedures.

created: November 8, 2023


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Old and unrelated video of people running down a steep slope falsely linked to India-China Galwan border clash - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 25, 2020
A video of people running down on a steep slope is being shared widely on social media with multiple claims. While some have posted that it shows angry Indians running towards China to retaliate after the latter’s attack in the Galwan valley, the others have posted (archived) that it shows Indian army running during the Chinese attack and falling on each other. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Video of Indians running towards China to retaliate after the Galwan attack.
Fact: The video is found to be in circulating on the internet at least from March 2020. But, the India-China Galwan border clash took place in June 2020. So, the video is not related to the Galwan incident. Also, many similar videos related to Myanmar jade mines were found on the internet. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the screenshots of the video were run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, the same video was found to be uploaded on YouTube in March 2020. Also, when searched with the TikTok username on the YouTube video, the same video was found to be uploaded on TikTok on 25 March 2020. So, the video is not related to the recent India-China Galwan border clash, which took place in June 2020.
It was found that many users have commented on the posts that the video is related to a Jade mine in Myanmar. While FACTLY could not independently verify whether this exact video is related to Myanmar, many similar videos related to Jade mines in Myanmar were found on the internet, which can be seen here, here, and here.
Also, similar visuals can be seen in multiple news articles published by various prominent news agencies on Jade miners in Myanmar. The visuals show miners running in the mines to find the Jade mineral.
To sum it up, old and unrelated video of people running down a steep slope falsely linked to India-China Galwan border clash.
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Old and unrelated video shared as ‘Indian Army tanks being sent to the India-China border’. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
June 18, 2020
A video of tanks being transported by a train is being shared on social media with a claim that it shows Indian Army tanks being sent to the China border. The video is being shared in the context of the recent border clash between India and China in the Galwan valley (Ladakh). FACTLY has found that the posted video is being circulated on the internet at least from July 2017. A YouTube user has posted a longer version of the same video with the title – ‘BNSF Military (Abrams Tanks) Train over Tehachapi’. The name ‘BNSF’ can be also seen on the railway engine (‘BNSF Railway operates one of the largest railroad networks in North America’). So, the video is not related to India and has nothing to do with the recent incident.
Sources:
Claim –
1. Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. YouTube video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJot_pOMeLE
2. YouTube video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRuDyDglBAE
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Old and unrelated videos and images are being shared linking them to ongoing farmers' protest - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 7, 2020
A post with a video of protesters raising pro-Khalistan slogans is being widely shared across all social media platforms linking it to the ongoing farmers’ protests. Another post (archived) carrying an image of protesters holding placards demanding separate Khalistan is also being shared linking it to farmers protest. Through this article let’s fact-check the claims made in these posts.
Claim: Pro-Khalistan protesters holding placards demanding separate Khalistan in the ongoing farmers protest over farm bills.
Fact: While the video is doing rounds on the internet at least since 2018 and actually shows demonstrators raising pro-Khalistan slogan in a protest in San Francisco, the image shows a demonstrator displaying a placard demanding separate Khalistan back in 2013 at Golden Temple on the 29th anniversary of ‘Operation Blue Star’. These videos and images have nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Video:
Facebook search with keywords “गली गली में शोर है भारत माता चोर है” led us to few 2018 posts which shared the same video. These posts can be seen here and here.
Further search led us to a Facebook post which shared the same video but of high resolution. In this video, we can spot ‘San Francisco’ written on the back of the t-shirts of the protesters. Taking a cue from this, a search on Google Maps with the keyword ‘Proper Hotel San Francisco’ led us to the exact location in San Francisco as seen in the video. All these establish that the video is at least two years old and is of pro-Khalistan protest march held in San Francisco. It is being falsely linked to the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Image:
Reverse image search of the photo in the post led us to a news article which carried the same image. The image published in the article is credited to AFP.
Taking a cue from the image credit in the news article, a search for AFP contributed images on stock photography website led us to the same image on Getty Images. According to the description associated with this image on the website, the image was clicked back in 2013 on the 29 anniversary of ‘Operation Blue star’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. This establishes that the image is an old one and has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest.
In the wake of the ongoing protests by farmers over the farm bills, posts like these are being widely shared on social media platforms with misleading claims.
In a nutshell, old and unrelated videos and images are being shared linking them to ongoing farmers’ protest.

created: December 7, 2020


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Old and unrelated videos are being shared as related to the ongoing farmers' protest - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 15, 2020
A post with a video collage showing Sikh protesters raising pro-Khalistan slogans in one video and an elderly man speaking to a reporter making anti-India comments the other video of is being widely circulated across social media platforms in the backdrop of farmers’ protest against the new farm laws. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Sikh protesters raising pro-Khalistan slogans and making anti-India comments during the ongoing farm protests.
Fact: The video of demonstrators raising pro-Khalistan slogans is actually from protests which were organized back in 2019 outside UN headquarters in New York when Modi was delivering UNGA speech. The other video in which an elderly man was seen making anti-India comments is actually from Pakistan. These videos have nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Video 1 (Left):
Reverse image search of screen shots of the video in the post led us to a 2019 Facebook post which shared a similar yet high resolution video.
Further, on careful observation of the video in the 2019 Facebook post, we can clearly spot placards with Modi’s name superimposed on the American flag and New York written on some placards.
Taking a cue from this Google search with relevant keywords led us to few 2019 news articles which reported the protesters rally for human rights in Kashmir outside the UNGA in New York when Modi was delivering his speech. Another news article which reported the same can be read here.
Further search with relevant keywords on yielded us few social media posts which shared videos related to the protests outside UNGA, coinciding with the time period of Modi’s 2019 UNGA speech. In these videos, we can spot placards similar to the one in the post, and even the building in the background is similar to the one in the video in the post. The protesters in the video can be seen wearing t-shirts with ‘New York City Protest at the UN’ written on them. All these establish that the video is related to the protest rally outside UNGA headquarters in New York while Modi was delivering his speech back in 2019 and the video has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest.
Video 2 (Right):
Reverse image search of screenshots of the video led us to a 2019 news article which carried an image similar to the visuals of the video. According to the article, this image is actually a screenshot from a video in which an elderly man was expressing his views regarding the opening of the Kartarpur corridor while speaking on a street talk show by Naya Pakistan, a YouTube channel.
Taking a cue from the news article, YouTube search with relevant keywords led us to the lengthier version of the video from which this excerpt is extracted. According to the video, the elderly man made Anti-India comments when a reporter sought his views on the opening of the Kartarpur corridor. With all this, we can clearly establish that the video has nothing to do with the ongoing farmers’ protest.
In the light of the ongoing farmer’s protest against the news farm laws, posts like these are being circulated on social media platforms with misleading claims.
To sum it up, these unrelated old videos are being shared as Sikh protesters raising pro-Khalistan slogans and making anti-India comments in the ongoing farmers’ protest.

created: December 15, 2020


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Old and unrelated videos are passed off as those of recent US drone strikes in Kabul - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 31, 2021
Following a series of bomb blasts at the Kabul airport in which 13 US service members were killed, the US carried out drone strikes in Kabul. It is in this light, a set of social media posts (here, here & here) are being shared claiming these to be of airstrikes in Kabul. Let’s fact-check the veracity of the videos of the post.
Claim: Videos of US airstrikes in Kabul.
Fact: Although the US has carried out strikes following the Kabul airport blast, these videos have nothing to do with these strikes. While a video is actually a GIF of a drone strike, another video is a mini documentary about MQ-9A, designated as ’Reaper’ by the U.S. and Royal Air Force. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE
Video 1:
The visuals actually show a GIF. Reverse image search of the screenshots of the visuals led us to GIFs similar to these visuals available on multiple popular websites. One such GIF was uploaded on gfycat.com website back in 2017.
Another website gifer.com also carried a similar GIF. With this, we can conclude that the visuals from this drone strike GIF are converted to video format and shared as those from US airstrikes in Kabul.
Video 2:
Reverse image search of the screenshots of the video led us to the same video on Aparat, an Iranian video-sharing service like YouTube. The video is uploaded in 2019 with the title ‘Afghan Army missile attack on Taliban headquarters.’ Though we could not find the exact context of the video, the availability of the video on the internet shows that the video has nothing to do with the latest US drone strikes in Kabul.
Video 3:
Reverse image search of the screenshots of the video led us to a similar video on YouTube which carried similar visuals. A 12-minute long video on ‘US Military Power’ YouTube channel carried exactly the same visuals. The video is uploaded on this channel back in 2017 with the title ‘MQ-9 Reaper UAV: The Most Feared USAF Drone in the World’.
Another YouTube channel called ‘American Partiot news’ uploaded a 23-minute long video which carried similar visuals back in October 2020. The title of the video reads ‘MQ-9 Reaper: The Most Feared U.S. Air Force Drone in Action’. From these videos, we can conclude that the video is a mini-documentary about MQ-9A which is designated as ’Reaper’ by the U.S. and Royal Air Force. The availability of the video on the internet tells us that the video has nothing to do with the latest US drone strikes in Kabul.
To sum it up, old and unrelated videos are passed off as those of recent US drone strikes in Kabul.


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Old and unrelated videos shared as the visuals of Turkey's coast hit by Tsunami following the recent earthquake - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 8, 2023
Visuals of buildings in ruins and rescue teams teaming up to help people trapped under the rubble have surfaced online in the wake of the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria. As the rescue operations continue, a few social media posts (here and here) are being shared with a claim that these visuals allegedly show a Tsunami that hit Turkey after the earthquake. Let’s fact-check the claim made in these posts through this article.
Update (08 February 2023):
Another video is being shared on social media, claiming it to be an alleged Tsunami wave hitting the coastline of Turkey and Syria. Let’s find out the truth behind this claim through this article.
Claim: Visuals of a Tsunami wave hitting the coastline of Turkey and Syria.
Fact: The viral video is old and was shot when a Tsunami hit Greenland in 2017. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
To learn more details about the viral video, we performed a reverse image search using a few keyframes. This led us to a YouTube video from 2021 which contained the visuals of the 2017 Greenland Tsunami (here). This video has the same visuals as in the viral post. This video from 2017 is being falsely peddled as the visuals of an alleged Tsunami that occurred after the recent Earthquake that shook Turkey and Syria. Click here and here to learn more about the Greenland Tsunami.
Published (07 February 2023):
Calim: Visuals of Tsunami waves that hit Turkey after the earthquake on 06 February 2023.
Fact: The viral posts contain videos from two different incidents from the past. One shows the visuals of a Tsunami wave approaching the seashore, shot during the 2018 Indonesian Earthquake-Tsunami. The second one is from 2017, filmed on Durban beach, South Africa, when huge waves hit the shore. Hence the claims made in these posts is FALSE.
Post 1:
We performed a reverse image search using a few screenshots of the video we obtained after running it through the InVID tool. Searching with these on the internet led us to a few news reports from 2018, which contained the same visuals from the viral video.
Reportedly, this video was shot when Tsunami waves hit the Island of Sulawesi after an earthquake shook the Island earlier. News reports of this incident can be read here and here.
Post 2:
To learn more details about the video, we performed a simple keyword search on YouTube using the words’ Tsunami visuals’. This search led us to a video titled ‘Durban beach closed due to high waves DRAMATIC AERIAL VIDEO,‘ which has the same visuals as the viral video.
As per news reports (here and here), this video was taken in 2017 when massive waves hit Durban North Beach in South Africa. ‘Three people were killed and more than a dozen others injured when a monster “freak wave” struck a packed beach in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban Sunday,‘ the NY Post reported. It is thus clear that the visuals do not belong to the earthquake that struck Turkey on 06 February 2023 and the post falsely attributes the old visuals to the recent incident.
To sum up, old and unrelated videos are shared as the visuals of Turkey’s coast hit by the Tsunami after the recent earthquake

created: February 8, 2023


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Old and unrelated visuals are being shared as those of Chandrayaan-3 captured from a flight - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 19, 2023
Update (19 July 2023):
Another video is currently being shared that shows the separation of a rover from a rocket and its subsequent journey towards the lunar surface of the moon. It is claimed that the visuals depict the Chandrayaan-3 lander’s successful arrival on the moon.
However, the visuals in question do not portray the separation of the Chandrayaan-3 lander/rover. A reverse image search of the viral video’s screenshots led to the discovery of a YouTube video from which the viral excerpt was extracted. The video was uploaded on 25 March 2022, and its description indicates that it pertains to the ‘Comet Rocket,’ a proposed super heavy-lift launch vehicle (HLLV) designed for NASA’s First Lunar Outpost Program (FLO) during the 1992-1993 Space Exploration Initiative.
This suggests that the viral video is, in fact, a computer-generated animation depicting NASA’s Comet Rocket. It should be noted that this YouTube channel contains several similar videos depicting rocket launches. In contrast, as per ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), Chandrayaan-3 is expected to enter the moon’s orbit approximately a month after its launch and subsequently land its lander and rover on the moon’s surface on 23 August 2023.
Published (18 July 2023):
Following the ISRO’s recent launch of Chandrayaan-3 on 14 July 2023, different sets of visuals (here & here) seemingly depicting a rocket launch captured from an airplane are being shared widely. These visuals are being claimed to showcase the launch of Chandrayaan-3, with assertions that a passenger captured them while traveling onboard a flight. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Visuals showcasing the launch of Chandrayaan-3, captured by a passenger traveling onboard a flight.
Fact: While one of the videos reportedly shows the launch of  SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral in November 2022, the other video depicts the launch of an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral in May 2021. It is also true that some passengers travelling in a Chennai to Dhaka flight captured the launch of Chandrayaan-3. However, the viral visuals are not related to Chandrayaan-3. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
After the ISRO’s recent launch of Chandrayaan-3 on 14 July 2023, Twitter users swiftly shared visuals purporting to be the Chandrayaan-3 launch taken from a flight. Notably, IndiGo Airlines released visuals of the Chandrayaan launch, captured by one of their passengers named Mr. Ponraj during a Chennai to Dhaka flight. These visuals gained significant traction on social media platforms, leading various news agencies to report on their viral spread (here & here).
However, the visuals disseminated through other viral posts on social media are old and are not related to the recent Chandrayaan-3 launch.
Video 1:
The visuals in question, which are old, reportedly depict the launch of a rocket by Space X from Cape Canaveral in Florida back in November 2022. A reverse image search conducted on the screenshots from this viral video led us to a couple of news reports published in December 2022, which featured the same visuals (here & here).
According to these reports, TikTok user @chefpinkpr a flight attendant who was working during the plane journey, captured these viral visuals. Sharing these visuals on TikTok, the user wrote “My plane flew by Cape Canaveral and caught the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch!”.
However, the date of launch is unclear as a Twitter user shared similar visuals captured from another angle in November 2022. He shared these visuals claiming to depict the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 over Cape Canaveral. A further search yielded reports of the launch of Space X Falcon 9 over Cape Canaveral, carrying Intelsat’s Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32 satellites in the month of November 2022 (here & here).
While we were unable to independently confirm if these viral visuals are related to the Space X Falcon 9 rocket launch, the fact that these visuals are available on the internet much before the Chandrayaan-3 launch suggests that they are not associated with the recent Chandrayaan-3 launch.
Video 2:
The visuals in question, which are old, portray the launch of an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral on 18 May 2021, carrying a satellite. Performing a reverse image search on the screenshots from the viral video led us to several news reports that also featured these same visuals (here & here).
10 Tampa Bay, which describes itself as an affiliate of CBS reported that the video was shot by photographer Andy Lin and showed the launch of rocket Atlas V, while traveling The Delta flight was traveling from New York to Cancun.
The satellite view of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station provides further confirmation that the viral video showcases a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, not Sriharikota. Although we were unable to independently verify which rocket launch the viral visuals depict, the fact that these visuals are widely available on the internet much before the Chandrayaan-3 launch strongly indicates that they are unrelated to the recent launch.
To sum it up, old and unrelated visuals are being shared as the launch of Chandrayaan-3 captured from a flight.


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Old and unrelated visuals are being shared attributing them to the post-poll violence in West Bengal - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 6, 2021
A set of social media posts (here, here, here, here & here) attributing a few photos and videos to the violence that broke out in West Bengal recently are being shared widely.  It has to be noted that violence broke out in multiple parts of West Bengal resulting in the death of around 17 people after the announcement of assembly election results. Political parties of West Bengal have accused each other of fermenting this violence. Let’s fact-check these posts and see if they are indeed related to the violence on the ground.
Claim: Images and video related to West Bengal post-poll violence.
Fact: These images and videos have nothing to do with recent post-poll violence in West Bengal. Few images are related to CAA protests in Bengal back in 2019, whereas few are not related to West Bengal. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Image 1:
Reverse image search of the photo (left side of the collage) yielded the same image in the Getty images repository. As per the information provided on this website, the image was actually clicked on 14 December 2019 in Howrah, West Bengal and the image shows protesters setting a bus on fire during a demonstration against the CAA.
Further, a news article also published the same image, attributing the image to anti-CAA protest in Bengal back in 2019.
Reverse image search of the right-side images in the collage yielded multiple 2019 news articles which have published the same image. As per one such article, this image also related to the anti-CAA protests in Howrah, West Bengal back in 2019.
Another news article also published the same image. Even as per this article, the image is related to the anti-CAA protests back in 2019.
Image 2:
Reverse image search of this photo yielded multiple 2018 news articles which published the same image. As per one such article by India Today, the image shows police patrolling in Raniganj in West Bengal where clashes and incidents of arson were reported following a Ram Navami procession back in 2018.
Few other news articles which have published the same image associating it to 2018 Ram Navami clashes in West Bengal can be read here & here.
Image 3:
A similar but full version of this image was published by The Statesman in its 2019 article which reported the violent clash between BJP & TMC supporters at Vidyasagar college during Amit Shah’s roadshow. With this, we can infer that the image in the post is the cropped version of the original image.
Few more images related this particular clash back in 2019 can be seen here.
Image 4:
Reverse image search of this photo yielded a November 2020 Bangla news article that published the same image. The article reported about an alleged increase of atrocities against women.
Further through reverse image search, we found few November 2020 social media posts which shared the same image attributing it to an attack on Hindu woman by Muslim goon Mohammad Rubel in Chittagaong, Bangladesh. These posts can be seen here and here. Although we could not independently verify whether this image is related to the incident as claimed in these posts, the presence of this image on the internet predates the current violence which proves that the image has nothing to do with recent post-poll violence in Bengal.
Video:
Google search yielded multiple Telugu regional news reports which reported the same video. As per one such report, the video shows an incident of a daughter trying to give water to her COVID-19 positive father in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district. Later, he died in front of his family.
Few more news reports regarding this video can be seen here and here. This video has nothing to do with post-poll violence in West Bengal.
Amid reports related to multiple instances of post-poll violence in West Bengal resulting in the death of 17 people, misleading posts like these are being shared on social media.
To sum it up, old and unrelated images and videos are being shared attributing them to post-poll violence in West Bengal.


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Old and unrelated visuals are passed off as recent airstrikes on Abu Dhabi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 20, 2022
In the light of the recent airstrikes on Abu Dhabi by Houthi rebels, few videos (here, here, here & here) are being shared on social media platforms claiming these visuals show the recent airstrike. Through this article, let’s fact-check the veracity of these videos.
Claim: Videos of recent airstrikes on Abu Dhabi.
Fact: It is true that Houthi rebels carried out airstrikes on Abu Dhabi recently. However, the viral visuals are not related to the recent incident. While most of the visuals are related to a fire accident caused in a supermarket back in 2015 and 2020 in Saudi Arabia, one video is related to airstrike carried by Houthi rebels on Abu Dhabi in 2019. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
It is true that airstrikes were carried out on Abu Dhabi recently by Houthi rebels through drones and missiles. In retaliation, the Saudi led coalition also carried out airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels. However, the viral visuals shared through the posts are not related to the recent incident. The original context of each video shared through posts is explained below.
Video 1:
These visuals actually show an incident of a fire accident, wherein fire broke out in a supermarket’s warehouse in the Mussafah Industrial area in Abu Dhabi, back in November 2015. Reverse image search of the viral visuals led us to a tweet by an Arabic news agency that reported similar visuals.
6 injured in #AbuDhabi supermarket warehouse fire – https://t.co/NS3STGjmRd (clip via @moiuae) pic.twitter.com/CjPaJXTj5U
News articles which reported the same visuals attributing them to supermarket fire accident can be read here and here.
Video 2:
The viral video carries the logo of RT, a Russian state-owned news agency. Taking a cue from this, internet search with relevant keywords yielded the actual footage of this report. RT reported these visuals in August 2020, and as per the report, these visuals are related to an incident of fire break out in Ajman market in UAE. News article which reported the incident can be read here.
Video 3:
Even these visuals are related to the above-mentioned fire accident in August 2020 in Ajman market in Abu Dhabi. Reverse image search of the viral visuals yielded multiple news articles which reported the same visuals. As per these reports, these visuals are also related to the fire breakout at Ajman market.
Other news articles which reported these visuals back then can be viewed here and here.
Video 4:
These visuals show airstrikes carried by Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport back in June 2019. Reverse image search of the visuals led us to a news report which reported the same visuals. Another news report which reported the same visuals of the attack can be viewed here.
To sum it up, old and unrelated visuals are passed off as recent airstrikes in Abu Dhabi.

created: January 20, 2022


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Old and unrelated visuals are passed off attributing them to cyclone Shaheen - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 6, 2021
In the wake of cyclone Shaheen, made a landfall near Al-Khaburah, Oman this Sunday, couple of videos, one showing cars being swept away in floods (here) and the other of a cloud burst (here) are being shared attributing them to cyclone Shaheen. Another video of  dense clouds over a seacoast (here) is also being shared attributing it to cyclone Shaheen and Pakistan. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in these posts.
Claim: Visuals related to cyclone Shaheen.
Fact: These visuals are old and have nothing to do with recent cyclone Shaheen. While one video shows visuals of flash floods which occurred in Sharjah last year, another video shows dense cloud formation along Bheemili beach, Visakhapatnam in June 2021. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Video 1:
These visuals actually show vehicles being swept away in flash floods in Sharjah back in 2020. Reverse image search of the screenshots of the video led us to a 2020 news article that reported the same video. As per the article, the visuals are of cars being washed away in flash floods which have occurred in Sharjah back in 2020.
Video 2:
This video is available on the internet at least since 2019. Reverse image search of the screenshots of the video led us to an Instagram post that shared the same video back in November 2019. As per the description, the video is of a tornado, which occurred in the Gwadar coast , Pakistan.
Further, a YouTube channel uploaded the same video attributing it to Gwadar, Pakistan back in 2019. Although we could not identify the exact location and the source of the video, the presence of the video on the internet since 2019 confirms that the video is not related to recent cyclone Shaheen.
Video 3:
Reverse image search of the screenshots of the video yielded multiple Telugu news videos which reported the same visuals. As per one such news report, the visuals show dense cloud formation over Bheemili beach in Visakhapatnam in June 2021.
A couple of other news reports which reported the same visuals as from Bheemili beach, Visakhapatnam can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, old and unrelated visuals are passed off attributing them to cyclone Shaheen.

created: October 6, 2021


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Old and unrelated videos are being shared as those of helicopter crash that killed General Bipin Rawat - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 9, 2021
In light of the sudden demise of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu, a few videos (here, here, and here) are being widely shared on social media claiming that these are from the crash that killed CDS Rawat. Through this article let’s fact-check the authenticity of these visuals.
Claim: Visuals showing helicopter crash that killed CDS General Bipin Rawat.
Fact: These visuals have nothing to do with the helicopter crash that killed General Rawat. One of these viral videos is related to an incident of Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter crash landing that happened in Arunachal Pradesh last month, while the other is related to the incident in which a government helicopter was shot down by Islamic militants in Syria last year. The image shows an Indian Army’s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) which had made an emergency landing in Poonch, JK back in October 2019.’ Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) was killed in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. No video of the crash landing has been reported so far. A video reportedly shot by some locals which shows the helicopter moments before the crash has surfaced today and been reported by news agencies.
Video 1:
These visuals are related to an incident of a helicopter crash landing that happened last month. Reverse image search of the viral video yielded multiple news reports which reported the same visuals. As per these reports, these visuals show the crash landing of the Indian Air Force Mi-17 at Roccham helipad in Arunachal’s Anjaw district on 18 November 2021.
#WATCH video of the Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter that crash-landed near a helipad in Eastern Arunachal Pradesh today with two pilots and three crew members. All of them are safe with minor injuries.
(Source: a local person) pic.twitter.com/cTUbzZRT3J
Back then, multiple news agencies reported the incident and this video in particular. Another news report which identifies the video as an incident of crash landing in Arunachal Pradesh can be seen here.
Video 2:
These visuals have nothing to do with India. Reverse image search of the screenshots of this viral video yielded multiple news reports which reported the same visuals back in February 2020. As per these reports, the visuals show the burning wreckage of a Syrian government helicopter shot down by the Islamist militants in Idlib province.
Multiple news agencies have reported the incident back then, these reports can be seen here and here. Few other visuals of the incident can be seen here.
Image:
This image shows Indian Army’s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) which had made an emergency landing in Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir back in October 2019. Reverse image search yielded multiple news reports which reported the same image back then. One such news article reported, ‘A helicopter with Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh on-board has executed a forced landing on account of technical snag in general area of Poonch. All crew and passengers are safe.’
Few more visuals of the incident can be seen here. Another news report related to the incident which published a similar image can be read here.
To sum it up, old and unrelated visuals are being shared as those from the helicopter crash that killed General Bipin Rawat.

created: December 9, 2021


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Old and unrelated visuals of different children are being linked to the Russia-Ukraine crisis (2022) - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
February 28, 2022
Various photos and videos of different children are being shared as visuals from Ukraine. The visuals are being shared in the context of Russia’s recent announcement of military operations against Ukraine. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Post 1:
Claim: Recent photo of two Ukrainian children sending off soldiers to fight the Russians.
Fact: It is an old photo. The picture was not taken in the current scenario of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The same photo was found to be posted by the official Facebook account of the ‘Ministry of Defence – Ukraine’ in March 2016. Also, the photo can be seen in the album – ‘Children of War’ (translated from Russian), uploaded by photographer Dmitry Muravsky (‘Дмитрий Муравский’) in 2016.
Post 2:
Claim: Video of a Ukrainian girl standing up to a Russian soldier.
Fact: The video is from 2012. It is neither related to Russia nor Ukraine. The video shows a Palestinian girl expressing anger over an Israeli soldier. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
An extended version of the same video was found to be uploaded on YouTube in 2012. The girl in the video is Ahed Tamimi, a Palestinian girl. More about her and the incident in the video can be read here and here.
Post 3:
Claim: Photo of a girl crying beside a dead body from the recent Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Fact: The photo is from a film named – ‘The Brest Fortress’ (or ‘Fortress of War’). It is not a real-life visual. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The photo can be found on the ‘Wikimedia’ website with the description – “Scene from The Brest Fortress”. It is a Russian-Belarusian war movie (2010). More details about the movie can be found here. Also, the same visual can be seen in the full movie uploaded on YouTube.
Post 4:
Claim: Video of Russian soldiers saving a small child during the battle between the forces of Russia and Ukraine.
Fact: The video is an old one and not related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The video was shot in Iraq. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The same video was posted by the ‘CBS Mornings’ YouTube channel in 2017, with the title – “Dramatic video shows American aid worker rescuing Iraqi child”. More details regarding the incident in the video can be read here.
However, some recent visuals from the current Russia-Ukraine conflict can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, old and unrelated visuals of different children are being linked to the current Russia-Ukraine crisis.

created: February 28, 2022


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Old and unrelated visuals of Rishi Sunak are being shared as recent visuals after he took over as PM of UK - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 26, 2022
As Rishi Sunak took over as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, many photos and videos related to him are being shared widely on social media. Let’s fact-check the claims made in different posts.
Post 1:
Claim: Video shows Rishi Sunak’s ‘griha pravesh’ (housewarming) at 10 Downing Street.
Fact: The video was taken at Bhaktivedanta Manor (a Hare Krishna Temple in the UK), not at 10 Downing Street. Also, it was shot before Rishi Sunak became the UK’s PM. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Many social media users have also posted the same video with the following description – “Rishi Sunak visited the Bhaktivedanta Manor temple with his wife Akshata”. When we searched with keywords, it was found that Rishi Sunak posted about his visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor temple (a Hare Krishna Temple in the UK) in August 2022 i.e., before he became UK’s PM. The Facebook page of Bhaktivedanta Manor temple has also posted photos from his visit. People in the same dresses from the video can be found in the posted photos. So, the posted video was not shot at 10 Downing Street (the official residence and the office of the British Prime Minister).
Post 2: (archived)
Claim: Video shows new UK PM Rishi Sunak taking blessings from Vedic pundits on 24 October 2022.
Fact: The video was taken in August 2022 i.e., before Rishi Sunak became UK’s PM in October 2022. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
In the video, on a flex in the background, it is written – ‘The Conservative Friends of India’. So, when searched with keywords, a Facebook post by ‘Conservative Friends of India’ about Rishi Sunak in August 2022 was found. Also, the official ‘Ready4Rishi’ campaign Twitter account posted visuals from the same event in August 2022. People in the same dresses from the video can be found in the posted photos. So, the posted video was not shot recently on 24 October 2022.
Post 3:
Claim: Recent photo of new UK PM Rishi Sunak lighting diyas (lamps) outside 11 Downing Street on Diwali.
Fact: The photo was taken in 2020. Rishi Sunak was Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer at that time. 11 Downing Street is the official residence of Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
The uncropped version of the same photo can be found on the ‘Reuters’ website with the following description – “Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak lights candles outside Downing Street ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali, in London, Britain, November 12, 2020”. Similar visuals can be seen in Rishi Sunak’s tweet from 2020.
To sum it up, old and unrelated visuals of Rishi Sunak are being shared as recent visuals after he took over as the PM of UK.

created: October 26, 2022