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Photo taken during the arrival of the statue of 'our lady of Fatima' in Buka Island shared as from Bangalore with a false narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 31, 2023
A viral social media post claims that the picture shared in the post was captured when the statue of ‘Our lady of Fatima’ was brought from Italy to Bangalore. It also claims that, upon arrival, Holy mary’s shadow got cast around the statue. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Photo shows a shadow of the Holy Mary getting cast on the statue of ‘Our lady of Fatima,’ which was brought from Italy to Bangalore by flight.
Fact: In 2016, the statue of ‘Our lady Fatima’ was ferried on a plane to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea. News reports and videos covering this event contain visuals that match the viral photo, and none of these visuals show any shadow cast around the statue. This photo has nothing to do with Bangalore. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Upon performing a keyword search to learn more details about the viral claim, we found two news articles (here and here) from 2016 which contained the visuals of a statue similar to that of the viral post.
Reportedly, the world-famous International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of ‘Our Lady of Fatima’ was ferried on an Aircraft to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea in October 2016.
Comparing the visuals in the news reports and videos (here and here) uploaded on the YouTube channel of the news website ‘Emtv online’, we found that the plane and the statue look similar to the viral photo.
One of the reports contains a closeup photo of the statue, which looks like the alleged shadow cast around the statue as shown in the viral post. The viral post could have been edited using this photo and another photo taken during the event by reducing the opacity/transparency of the photo to look like a shadow cast around the statue. With this evidence, it can be concluded that the viral photo was taken during this event in 2016, contrary to the claim that it was captured in Bangalore. Also, to know if such event took place in Bangalore recently, we performed a basic keyword search, which led us to a video uploaded on a YouTube channel named ‘Sacred Heart Church, Bangalore’. It contains the visuals of the ‘Arrival of Our Lady of Fatima Statue‘ from Portugal to Bangalore.
To sum up, a photo shot during the arrival of the statue of ‘Our lady of Fatima’ in Buka Island in Papua New Guinea is peddled as Bangalore with the false narrative of a shadow cast around the statue.

created: January 31, 2023


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Photograph of Baloch nationalist leader is shared as that of Syed Ali Shah Geelani as a youngster - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 9, 2021
A photo is being shared on social media claiming it as the photograph of Syed Ali Shah Geelani when he was young. On 01 September 2021, the former member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani passed away at his residence in Srinagar. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photograph of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani when he was young.
Fact: The photo shared in the post shows an old photograph of Balochistan National Party founder and the first CM of Balochistan, Sardar Ataullah Mengal. This photo has nothing to do with the late Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, a similar photo was found published in ‘Flickr’ image sharing website on 14 September 2009. The description of the photo states, “Sardar Ataullah Mengal being taken away from a hearing in Karachi”. The Pakistani politician and the Balochistan first Chief Minister Sardar Ataullah Mengal passed away on 02 September 2021 at a private hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
When we searched for more sources using these keywords, a similar photo was found tweeted by Hussain Haqqani, the former Pakistan Ambassador to the US, on 02 September 2021.  Hussain Haqqani through this tweet expressed grief over the death of the Baloch leader Sardar Ataullah Mengal. Reporting the early parliamentary politics in Balochistan, ‘BBC News’ website published an article on 02 September 2021. This article shared a similar photo of Sardar Ataullah Mengal being taken away by police.  A similar visual was also found in a video published by the Pakistan-based ‘Geo News’ channel about Sardar Ataullah Mengal.
The ‘India Today Fact Check’ team contacted Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s younger son Naseem Geelani regarding the clarification on this image. Naseem Geelani confirmed to ‘India Today’ that the viral picture is not of his father, Syed Ali Geelani. Also, Naseem Geelani sent an old photograph of Syed Ali Geelani to the ‘India Today Fact Check’ team.
To sum it up, a photograph of the Baloch nationalist leader is shared as that of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani when he was young.

source: news-factly

created: September 9, 2021

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

author: Sai Krishna Muthyanolla


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Photograph of ‘UAE Exchange’ staff shared as ‘Malabar Gold directors celebrating Pakistan Independence Day’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 20, 2019
‘Factly’ has received a screenshot on its Whatsapp number asking to verify the authenticity of the photo which claims – “Malabar Gold Directors celebrating Pakistan Independence day”. Similar claims were made on social media platforms as well. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Photo of a few men cutting a cake engraved with Pakistan flag is that of Malabar Gold directors celebrating Pakistan’s Independence Day.
Fact: The photo is that of a celebration event organised by ‘UAE EXCHANGE’ company. So, the claim that the men seen cutting the cake are Malabar Gold Directors stands FALSE.
When the photo in the post is run through the reverse image search, it is found that the photo is in circulation since 2016. Owing to its virality, ‘Malabar Gold and Diamonds’ has in a Facebook post  provided clarification about the photograph. The post states “MALICIOUS CAMPAIGN AGAINST MALABAR GOLD AND DIAMONDS
Last couple of days a photograph of a cake cutting event, the image shown below, has been circulating in the social media and WhatsApp alleging that it belongs to Malabar Gold and Diamonds. This CAKE CUTTING EVENT is NOT CONNECTED with MALABAR GOLD AND DIAMONDS. The image is that of a celebration event done by UAE EXCHANGE another Indian company based out of Middle East and has NO RELATION with MALABAR GOLD AND DIAMONDS”.
The company has also attached a collage as a proof to suggest the men cutting the cake are the employees of ‘UAE EXCHANGE’. This collage can be seen below.
The Facebook post of ‘UAEExchange UAE’ seen in the collage can be found here. Newspaper articles that reported about this issue can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, a photograph of ‘UAE Exchange’ staff cutting a cake engraved with Pakistan flag is falsely shared as that of ‘Malabar Gold directors celebrating Pakistan Independence Day’.
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Getting ‘Clicked’ at monuments? Here is what you should pay the Photographer
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 29, 2017
The government has notified rules for selection of photographers, who are authorized to take pictures of visitors inside centrally protected monuments. The rules prescribe specific rates for photos.
Most people visiting monuments get their pictures clicked by a photographer. But people also end up paying whatever is demanded by the photographer. The government has now notified new rules and fixed rates to be charged by the photographers at these monuments.
What is the rule?
As per Rule 8(d) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959, no person is allowed to hawk or sell goods or take a photograph for monetary consideration except after taking specific license or permission by an archaeological officer at all centrally protected monuments. Hence the government has now come up with a policy for selection of photographers and the rates to be charged by them.
Determination of the number of licensed photographers
As per these rules, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has to determine the number of licensed photographers for each monument or a group of monuments on the basis of foot-fall, popularity, growth potential, extent and size of the monuments. This exercise has to done once every 5 years.
To obtain a license, a person has to have a minimum educational qualification of 10th Pass and should hold a one-year diploma in photography from a recognized institute. In the absence of a diploma, five years’ experience in photography in tourist places is a must. The minimum age to apply is 18 years.  There are other eligibility conditions such as the person being a citizen of India, no pending criminal case (with a clean police record), not having been convicted in the past etc. The rules specify that preference is to be given to local candidates. It has to be noted that there is no such rule if you wish to contest the MLA/MP elections. One can contest even if they have pending cases against them.
Selection Process
ASI shall issue an advertisement specifying the number of such photographers at each such monument. The selection process consists of a test, practical & viva voce. The written test and practical should test the knowledge and skill of candidates on general awareness, photography, computer handling, etc. The practical & viva voce shall be conducted through a committee comprising of not less than three members, out of them at least one should be from the field of photography.
The successful candidates will be given licenses which has to be renewed every year. There is no automatic renewal of the license. The renewal is also subject to any pending complaints against the photographer. A license fee of Rs 25000 for ‘World Heritage’ monuments and Rs 15000 for other monuments has to be paid both for fresh & renewal.
Here is what you should be paying
Those getting clicked inside monuments by licensed photographers have to pay the following rates. The rules also specify rates for softcopy transfer.  The rates range from Rs 25 for a post card size hard copy print to Rs 80 for an 8 X12 inches copy. The print should be on a paper of not less than 165 GSM.
In the case of softcopy, the rates are prescribed at Rs 100 for up to 25 photos and Rs 4 for every photo after that. Charging above these rates will be treated as misconduct and any such misconduct will not only attract a monetary penalty, but also result in the cancellation of the license.
Featured Image: Photographers at monuments


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Photos clicked during a TV serial shoot are being falsely shared as those of Indian Army torturing a Kashmiri journalist - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 17, 2019
Photos of a man being beaten by Policemen inside a prison like room are being shared with the claim that those photos show the Indian Army torturing a Kashmiri journalist Fahad Bhat. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Photos of the Indian Army torturing a Kashmiri journalist Fahad Bhat.
Fact: Photos are of the stills taken during a Hindi TV serial shooting that was broadcasted in 2014. Hence, the claim is FALSE.
When the photos in the post are subjected to reverse image search, a certain photo among them led us to a YouTube videowith the title ‘Ranveer Gets Beaten Up Brutally In The Lock Up’ and the video had similar visuals as that are seen in the photos. The video was found to be uploaded by a YouTube channel “Indian Forums” on September 4, 2014.
The video mentions the person name as ‘Shakti Arora’. When searched with that name, it was found that Shakti Arora is an Indian actor. When googled with the keywords ‘shakti arora ranveer’, the search results were obtained about his TV series ‘Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi’. So, the photos were the ones taken during the shooting of this tv serial.
As the photos have gone viral with the claim, the ‘Indian Forums’ channel that has uploaded the video has stated in its website that stills from ‘Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi’ are wrongly being used as ‘Kashmiri Journalist beaten by Indian Army’ and mentions ‘The stills show Shakti’s character Ranveer being beaten up by cops in a pivotal moment on the show’.
To conclude, photos clicked during a TV seriesshooting are falsely shared as those of Indian Army torturing Kashmirijournalist Fahad Bhat.
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created: September 17, 2019


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Photos from 2013 are falsely shared as ‘Dead bodies of Coronavirus victims in Italy’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 26, 2020
A photo is being shared on Facebook with the claim that it shows the dead bodies of Coronavirus victims lined up in Italy. Let’s  analyze the claim made in the post.
Image of dead bodies of Coronavirus victims in Italy.
Fact: The image shows coffins containing the dead bodies of Lampedusa shipwreck victims. In 2013, a boat packed with around 500 African migrants caught fire and sank around half a mile from the Italian island Lampedusa leading to the death of more than 300 people. So, the claim isFALSE.
When the image is subjected to reverse image search technique, it was found in an article of ‘The Guardian’. The image had the following description with it- ‘EU delegates, including José Manuel Barroso, pay tribute before rows of coffins containing the bodies of Lampedusa shipwreck victims’. As per the article, in October 2013, a boat packed with around 500 African migrants caught fire and sank around half a mile from the Italian island Lampedusa leading to the death of more than 300 people. So, the image is 6 years old and has nothing to do with the recent Coronavirus outbreak in Italy.
Italy is facing a severe crisis due to COVID-19. The country has till now recorded about 75,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 7,500 deaths.
To conclude, old images from 2013 are being falsely shared as ‘Dead bodies of Coronavirus victims in Italy’.
To conclude, ‘Mustard Oil’ has many health benefits but using it will not prevent a person from getting infected with Coronavirus.
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Photos from a 2017 RJD rally misattributed to the recent ‘Jan Vishwaas Maha Rally’ at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 4, 2024
A set of two photos is doing its rounds on social media, with users claiming they were taken during the Jan Vishwaas Maha Rally held on 3 March 2024 at Gandhi Maidan, Patna. The images depict a large crowd filling up the rally ground. This article aims to fact-check this claim.
Claim: Viral photos show the Jan Vishwaas Maha Rally held at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on 3 March 2024.
Fact: The images viral on the internet are not from the recent Jan Vishwaas Maha Rally held in March 2024. They were taken during a rally held by RJD back in 2017. Therefore, the claim made in the post is False.
To determine the credibility of these viral photos, a reverse image search was conducted on each photo. The first photo matched a tweet (the first photo in this tweet) by the Times of India dated 27 August 2017. The caption of this tweet identified the crowd as attendees of an RJD rally titled “BJP Bhagao Desh Bachao.” (here and here) in Patna.
The crowd at the RJD rally in Patna
Picture Credits: PTI pic.twitter.com/Q6IgquLLfy
A reverse image search on the second photo revealed that it also originated from the same RJD event.
An unedited version of the viral image (which bears signs of crowd multiplication and cropping (check this)) was found in a news article (also here and here) covering this event.
RJD's Patna rally: Picture taken from same point where Lalu Prasad Yadav's purported picture was taken; crowd sizes are different. pic.twitter.com/3QuEsBlQua
While the Jan Vishwaas Maha Rally did take place on 3 March 2024 at Gandhi Maidan, Patna, and had a significant turnout (here, here and here), the viral photos are not from this event but from a past rally.
आज पटना के ऐतिहासिक गांधी मैदान ने एक बार फिर देश के नाम बड़ा संदेश भेजा है!
INDIA मतलब किसानों की समृद्धि
INDIA मतलब युवाओं का रोज़गार
INDIA मतलब महिलाओं का अधिकार
INDIA मतलब मज़दूरों की ताकत
INDIA मतलब जन जन की हिस्सेदारी
INDIA मोहब्बत का अल्फाज़ है, INDIA गरीबों की… pic.twitter.com/Obf7j6KCJd
To sum up, the claim that the viral images depict the recent Jan Vishwaas Maha Rally from 2024 is incorrect. They are from 2017.


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Photos from Taiwan and Syria shared as ‘Army tanks on Karachi streets’. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 22, 2020
With the ongoing political and police-vs-army crises in Pakistan, some photos are being shared with the claim that army tanks have been deployed on Karachi streets. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photos show army tanks deployed on Karachi streets.
Fact: While one photo shows army tanks on the streets of Yuanshan Township in Taiwan, the other photo is related to Aleppo (Syria). Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Photo 1: (archived)
When the photo was run through Google Reverse Image, the same photo was found in an article published by the ‘Taiwan News’ in March 2020 with the title – ‘Tanks spotted in NE Taiwan as tensions with China rise’. Also, the uncropped version of the photo can be found in ‘The Economist’ article with the description that the photo was taken in the Yuanshan Township in Taiwan.
Also, the Google street view of the same location in Taiwan can be seen here.
Photo 2: (archived)
This photo was found in an article published by ‘CNN’ in 2016 with the title – ‘Aleppo: Five years to ruins’. In the description of the photo, it can read that the photo was taken in easter Aleppo (Syria). A similar photo from the same location can be also found on the ‘AP Images’ website. So, this photo is also not related to Pakistan.
In the Facebook post, it is also mentioned that ‘Sindh policemen just killed 5 Army jawans’. While the ‘ANI’ has reported that some personnel have died in the clashes between the Karachi Police and Pakistan Army, ‘News 18’ in its article has written – ‘Unconfirmed information posted by The International Herald on Twitter said a “civil war” had broken out in Karachi after Sindh Police and Pakistan Army exchanged fire. It further reported that 10 Karachi police officers had died in the clashes. But Pakistan’s leading newspapers Dawn carried no such reports’. So, at the time of writing this article, there is no official confirmation about the killings.
To sum it up, the photos from Taiwan and Syria shared as ‘Army tanks on Karachi streets’.

created: October 22, 2020


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Photos from two unrelated incidents are being shared as proof of Mamata Banerjee faking her recent head injury - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 18, 2024
The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, recently suffered an injury to the head due to a fall at her home (here and here). Two images purportedly depicting Ms. Banerjee before and after her fall are doing rounds on social media. The claim being propagated is that the injury, initially at the centre of her head, has apparently shifted its spot in the subsequent image featuring a bandaid, meaning she faked her injury. This article aims to fact-check this viral claim.
Claim: These images indicate Mamata Banerjee faked her recent injury in March 2024.
Fact: The two images in question belong to two separate incidents of Banerjee’s injury. The first image is from her recent fall at home on 14 March 2024, whereas the second one dates back to January 2024, when she received a minor head injury in a car accident. Therefore, the viral claim is rated as False.
Our fact-checking process was initiated with an internet search for recent pictures of Mamata Banerjee after she was discharged from the hospital following her injury. This search led to numerous news reports (here, here, and here) featuring images of the Chief Minister with a type of head bandage distinct from the one in the viral photo.
Further inquiry revealed that the viral photo showing Banerjee with a bandaid sticker on her head is from an incident in January 2024, where she was injured in a car accident (here, here, and here).
A video report uploaded by ABP Live (abpanandatv) shows Banerjee with the same bandage placed on the left side of her head. The video also depicts her wearing the same shawl and holding a microphone in a way similar to the viral photo. This confirms that the viral photo is from this earlier incident, not from the recent injury of the Bengal Chief Minister.
To sum up, the claim that Mamata Banerjee faked her injury is false. The images belong to two separate instances of her sustaining injuries, and they are not related to the same incident.


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Photos generated using AI Tools are falsely shared as photos of Ayodhya railway station - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 7, 2023
Some photos of an amazingly beautiful railway station, claiming to be photos of Ayodhya railway station, are going viral on social media. Let’s understand the facts behind this claim through his article.
Claim: Photos of the Ayodhya Railway Station.
Fact: These are artificial intelligence (AI) generated photos, not those of the real Ayodhya railway station. The Ayodhya railway station is currently being redeveloped and will be reportedly opened in January 2024. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
Firstly, we searched the internet using appropriate keywords to determine whether the railway station was actually opened in Ayodhya on 04 November 2023, but we did not find any information/news reports to substantiate this claim. However, according to the news reports of some prominent media organisations (here, here), it is known that the Ayodhya railway station, which is being redeveloped with the theme of Ayodhya Ram Mandir, will open in January 2024.
A further search led us to an update released by The Ministry of Railways in July 2023 with some photos showing the progress of the railway station. These photos are not like the viral photos.
Redevelopment of Ayodhya Railway Station🚉
Architecture inspired by Shri Ram JanmBhoomi Temple🛕
Completed Works:
✅Station Building
✅Parking areas
✅External Water supply, External Electrification, Electrical Installations
✅Station Building Signage#NayeBharatKaNayaStation pic.twitter.com/1HOKnMHzn5
After doing a reverse image search to find out more details about the original viral photos, it was found that they were created using artificial intelligence (AI) by social media users named Mohit and Amar (here, here). Speaking to India Today, Mohit said that he made these photos using Bing Image Creator.
Multi modal transport hub for cities like Ayodhya and Varanasi.😍 https://t.co/DNkv4G73Y3 pic.twitter.com/N2XcqckOf2
Some of the viral photos were created by a person named Amar; these were shared by an X account called Madhya Pradesh Index, crediting Amar.
1 Million Views 🥵🥵
After going through all the comments many people pointed out some problems with AI image.
1. Huge cost
2. Time
3. Not easy to maintain
All points are valid and I agree with them. But I still stand by my point that Ayodhya ji deserves better. The existing… https://t.co/NWaTrUIF3z pic.twitter.com/lS7ZP52jDa
To sum up, the photos that are going viral are generated using AI tools and are not real photos of Ayodhya station.

created: November 7, 2023


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Photos of a Bangladesh housewife are falsely shared as those of a love jihad victim in Kerala - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 22, 2020
A collage with the photos of a woman is being shared on social media claiming her as the one more love jihad victim in Kerala. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Photos of a love jihad victim in Kerala.
Fact: Photos shows a Bangladesh housewife who was brutally tortured by her husband and her in-laws. Sumaiya Hassan, the housewife from Dhaka shared these photos on Facebook showing wounds on her body. She is not reported as a converted Muslim by any news websites. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search, one of the photos in the post was found in an article published by ‘DhakaTribune’ news website published on ’26 June 2020’. In the article, it is mentioned that a housewife from Dhaka posted a heart-breaking Facebook status update stating that her husband, father-in-law and mother-in-law continuously tortured her while demanding dowry. Sumaiya Hassan, the housewife from Dhaka shared a collage of photos on Facebook showing wounds on her body. In the article, it is mentioned that Sumaiya Hassan and her husband Jahid Hassan Ontor fell in love on Facebook 5 years ago and later got married.
‘DhakaTribune’ news website published another article on ’27 June 2020’ detailing the incident. In the article, it is reported that Sumaiya Hassan’s husband was taken into custody by the Dhaka police. It is also mentioned in the article that neither Sumaiya Hassan nor her family filed a case against her husband Jahid. She reportedly returned home along with him on the evening of his arrest. Sumaiya Hassan on her Facebook post thanked all the people who reacted to her Facebook status. In both these articles, there is no mention of Sumaiya Hassan being a converted Muslim.
To sum it up, photos of a Bangladesh housewife are falsely shared as the photos of love jihad victim in Kerala.

created: September 22, 2020


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Photos of a father and son in skin-to-skin therapy are being misused to represent a false and unscientific narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 6, 2022
A post is being circulated on social media saying that, to save a premature baby boy, a hole was ripped into his father’s chest to supply oxygen to him. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: For months, a father gave oxygen to his son from his lungs through a hole ripped in his chest.
Fact: This picture is of the husband of Jenny Sanchez (@jdazzle101). It shows her prematurely born son, Fontaine Dickey receiving skin-to-skin therapy from his father, RaSean Dickey. A hole was not ripped into RaSean’s chest to provide Oxygen to his prematurely-born son as claimed in the post. Hence the claim is MISLEADING.
After performing a reverse image search, we found a Facebook post leading us to an Instagram user account, jdazzle101, that belongs to Jenny Sanchez. Jenny is from Denver, USA. An image similar to the one from the post was found on her IG timeline. Going through her IG, we understood that her son Fontaine Dickey was born prematurely and was in ICU before he could safely go home.
A post shared by Jenny Sanchez (@jdazzle101)
The images on her Instagram account show her husband, RaSean Dickey, giving their baby skin-to-skin therapy. They can be seen here, here and here. The story of her child appeared on various news websites, which can be read here, here and here. It was claimed in the post that a hole was ripped into the father’s chest to supply oxygen to the baby, but we can see in these pictures that there is no such hole.
A post shared by Jenny Sanchez (@jdazzle101)
An oxygen pipe can be seen too, which is not coming from the father’s chest. It was also mentioned in the post that this continued for months, but we found on her Instagram page that she posted a picture of her son on a separate bed only a few weeks later. She has also stated through another Instagram post that, “People have taken my photo and created their own stories about my family and son that have no truth !” With all this, it can be concluded that the claim made in the post is misleading. A  family’s ordeal is being misused to spread unscientific narratives on social media.
A post shared by Jenny Sanchez (@jdazzle101)
What is skin-to-skin therapy?
Skin-to-skin care, also known as kangaroo therapy is when a diapered baby is laid on the bare check of their father or between their mother’s breasts. Studies show that premature babies can be great benefit from receiving Skin-to-Skin therapy. Since the babies look less at their caregiver, direct contact can help them. More about this can be found here, here and here.
To summarise, photos of a father and son in skin-to-skin therapy are being misused to represent a false and unscientific narrative.


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Photos of a girl who survived a bomb attack in Syria in 2016 are falsely passed off as a Palestinian girl - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 30, 2023
A collage of three photos, each showing an alleged Palestinian little girl being carried by different individuals, is doing the rounds on social media with a claim that these images show the girl being rescued on three separate days at three different locations. This fact check aims to shed light on the validity of this statement.
Claim: Collage showing a Palestinian girl being saved on three different days at three different locations.
Fact: These photos have nothing to do with Palestine. The three images included in the collage all originate from the same incident in Aleppo, Syria, in August 2016. They do not depict separate rescue events or locations.  Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
Firstly, we performed a reverse image search on each photo in the collage. The search results led to an article that included an image that features the man on the right side of the collage and the same girl. The photo, taken by Abdalrhman Ismail of Reuters, shows a young girl who survived an air strike attack in Aleppo, Syria, on 27 August 2016.
Further, based on the results from the reverse image search, we identified the men in the other two photos. The man on the left and the man in the middle were also in the same location in the rescue effort. The girl is first carried by the man on the left, and he is seen passing her off to the man on the right of the college in these two photos (here and here) available on Getty Images. You can also see the same little girl sitting in a vehicle in this photo published by Reuters. This was shot on the same day.
A CNN article published the middle image (cropped version) from the viral collage (here), linking it to the same attack that happened in Aleppo. All evidence points to these three photos being taken on the same day during the same rescue operation. The claim suggesting that the girl was saved on three separate days at three different locations is, therefore, incorrect.
To sum up, photos of a girl who survived a bomb attack in Syria in 2016 are falsely passed off as a Palestinian girl being saved on three different days at three different locations.

created: October 30, 2023


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Photos of a hyper-realistic silicon sculpture falsely shared as dangerous animal roaming in Gujarat-Rajasthan. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 7, 2020
A couple of photos of an alleged creature are being shared widely on social media with a claim that it is a dangerous animal which has been spotted going from Gujarat to Rajasthan. Farmers are being warned to stay alert and safe. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Photos of a dangerous animal which was spotted going from Gujarat to Rajasthan.
Fact: The creature in the photos is not real. It is a hyper-realistic silicon sculpture made by an Italian artist – ‘Laira Maganuco’. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photos were run through Google Reverse Image Search, similar photos of the same creature were found to be uploaded on Instagram by a user (‘Laira Maganuco’). She has posted the same photo in July 2019 with the description – ‘armadillo hybrid’. She calls herself – ‘Hyper Realism Silicon Sculptor’. Many other hyper-realistic sculptures can be seen on her profile. Also, she posted a video and other pictures of the same sculpture on her Facebook account in October 2018.
The same sculpture is also for sale on the ‘Etsy’ website. In the product description, it can be read that it has been ‘carved entirely by hand in acetic silicone paste’.
The information regarding the ‘real’ Armadillos can be found on the ‘National Geographic’ website.
To sum it up, the photos of a hyper-realistic silicon sculpture are falsely shared as those of a dangerous animal roaming in Gujarat-Rajasthan.

created: September 7, 2020


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Photos of a rock structure in Thailand’s Naga cave shared as a giant snake spotted in Switzerland - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 16, 2023
A collage of images is being shared on social media claiming it as the pictures of a scary massive snake found in a mysterious cave in Switzerland. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Collage of images showing a massive snake spotted in Switzerland.
Fact: These images show a snake-shaped rock structure located in Naka or Naga cave in Phu Langka National Park in the Bueng Kan province in Thailand. These pictures do not show a real giant snake and have nothing to do with Switzerland. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On reverse image search of the photos shared in the post, similar images were found shared in a Facebook post made on 29 May 2020. This post described it as pictures of a giant snake-shaped structure in Naka cave in Thailand. When we searched for further sources using relevant keywords on the internet, similar images were found in articles published by ‘News 18’, ‘OTV’ and other news websites. All these news websites reported it as images of a rock structure in the shape of a giant snake and said it was in Naka or Naga cave in Thailand.
Naga cave is a famous tourist attraction of Phu Langka National Park located in the Bung Khong district in Bueng Kan province in Thailand. A few more details of this snake-shaped rock structure in Naka or Naga cave can be seen here, here and here.
To sum it up, pictures of a giant snake-shaped rock structure in Thailand’s Naga cave are shared as a giant snake spotted in Switzerland.


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Photos of accidentally burnt 'Maa Kali' idol in West Bengal is shared with a false communal narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 3, 2020
A post is being shared on social media claiming it as the photo of Kali Matha idol which was burned by the Muslims in West Bengal. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Photos of the Kali idol that was burned by the Muslims in West Bengal.
Fact: Photos in the post shows the burned idol of Kali temple in Alampur village of Murshidabad district in West Bengal. The temple authority had clarified that on ‘31 August 2020’, the idol in the temple had caught fire in an accident. They said that these photos are shared on social media giving a non-existent communal colour. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search, we found the same photos in a tweet posted by BJP MP Ashok Singh with a claim that Muslims in West Bengal burnt Kali idol in Murshidabad. In response to this tweet, Murshidabad police said the claim made in the post is not true. West Bengal Police through their official twitter account stated that the post by MP Ashok Singh is misleading.
pic.twitter.com/8ufX7uYC7g
In a tweet posted by Murshidabad Police, it is mentioned that the Secretary of Kali Matha temple in Alampur clarified that there is no communal angle in the accident that took place in the temple. In the tweet,  they shared the screenshot of the Facebook post made by the temple secretary Shukdev Bajpayee. In his post on Facebook, the secretary of the temple clarified that on ‘31 August 2020’, the idol of Kali matha in the temple had caught fire in an accident. He also mentioned in his post that the relation between Hindu and Muslim communities was harmonious in their village. He also said that these photos are shared on social media giving a non-existent communal colour.
নওদার কালীমন্দিরের ঘটনা নিয়ে সেখানকার মন্দির কমিটির সেক্রেটারির বক্তব্য আপনাদের সকলের জন্য।
আপনাদের সকলের কাছে অনুরোধ কেউ গুজব ছড়াবেন না আর গুজবে বিশ্বাস করবেন না।
আর যারা গুজব ছড়াবেন বা ছড়ানোর চেষ্টা করবেন, তাদের বিরুদ্ধে কঠোর আইনানুগ ব্যবস্থা নেওয়া হবে। pic.twitter.com/QpvDlkoAER
Murshidabad police shared a video of Shuhdev Bajpayee explaining in details about this accident in Kali temple.
নওদার কালীমন্দিরের ঘটনা নিয়ে সেখানকার মন্দির কমিটির সেক্রেটারির বক্তব্য আপনাদের সকলের জন্য।
আপনাদের সকলের কাছে অনুরোধ কেউ গুজব ছড়াবেন না আর গুজবে বিশ্বাস করবেন না।
আর যারা গুজব ছড়াবেন বা ছড়ানোর চেষ্টা করবেন, তাদের বিরুদ্ধে কঠোর আইনানুগ ব্যবস্থা নেওয়া হবে। pic.twitter.com/oNogRm2uGJ
To sum it up, photos of the Maa Kali idol that caught fire in an accident are falsely shared giving a communal colour.
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created: September 3, 2020


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Photos of bear attack in Andhra Pradesh are falsely shared as a tiger attack in Jharkhand - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 4, 2022
Some photos through a post are being widely shared on social media claiming that the pictures were from a Tiger attack in Palajori, Jharkhand. Let us fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photos from a tiger attack in Jharkhand.
Fact: The photos are from a bear attack in Vajrapukotturu Mandal, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. On 20 June 2022, at least six people were injured in a bear attack in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. Many were severely injured and rushed to the hospital nearby; the sloth bear was later captured, and died on its way to Vizag Zoo, the reason for its death is still not known. We could not find any recent news articles that a Tiger attacked people in Palajori in Jharkhand. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When reverse image search is done on the photos, a Telugu article with similar images was found. According to the article, the photos were from a bear attack in Vajrapukotturu, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. On 19 June 2022, a sloth bear had killed a 72-year-old in Kidisingi village. The very next day the sloth bear attacked six people working in a farm.
When we searched online with relevant keywords, similar visuals were found reported by news outlets (here and here). It had been reported that, on 20 June 2022, at least six people were injured in a bear attack in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. Many were severely injured and rushed to the hospital nearby; the sloth bear was later captured. The bear died on its way to Vizag Zoo, the reason for its death is still not known. We could not find any recent news articles that a Tiger had attacked the area of Palajori in Jharkhand.
To sum it up, photos of bear attack in Andhra Pradesh are falsely shared as a tiger attack in Jharkhand.


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Photos of houses and bridge pillars painted with images of Hindu deities in Prayagraj city are falsely shared as in Ayodhya - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 27, 2020
A few photos are being shared on Facebook claiming that Ayodhya is being painted with saffron as part of the preparations for the Bhoomi Poojan of the Ram Mandir. The photos show houses and bridge pillars painted with the images of Hindu deities. PM Modi is scheduled to visit Ayodhya on ‘5 August 2020’ to perform ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ for the Ram temple. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Photos of houses and bridge pillars in Ayodhya painted with images of Hindu deities as part of the preparations for Ram temple’s ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ event.
Fact: The photos with Hindu deities painted over the houses and bridge pillars are of Prayagraj (Allahabad), not Ayodhya. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When we subjected the photos to reverse image search technique, reports were found which confirmed that the photos are of houses and bridge pillars in Prayagraj city painted with images of Hindu deities.
Photo-1:
The photo can be seen in an article of ‘Outlook’. In the description of the photo, it was mentioned that the photo is of houses in Prayagraj painted with Hindu deities.
Photo-2:
Surroundings seen in the photo can be seen in a news video of NDTV that reported about houses in Prayagraj painted with pictures Hindu deities. A similar photo can also be seen in a tweet of ‘ANI UP’.
Photo-3:
The photo can be seen in a tweet of ‘ANI UP’ that had information about complaints being registered in Prayagraj for painting houses in a street in saffron without the owner’s consent.
Photo-4:
The photo can be seen on the website of ‘Getty Images’ with the description that the photo shows pillars of Shastri bridge in Allahabad (Prayagraj) painted as part of ‘Paint My City’ project for the Kumbh Mela festival.
To sum it up, photos of houses and bridge pillars painted with images of Hindu deities in Prayagraj city are falsely shared as those from Ayodhya.
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Photos of movie actress Ursula Andress falsely shared as those of Congress President Sonia Gandhi - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 24, 2020
A post is being widely shared on Facebook claiming that the photos in the post show Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Also, in another post with some photos, users are commenting that they belong to Sonia Gandhi. But FACTLY has found that most of the photos in those posts show Ursula Andress. Those photos are stills of Ursula Andress from the movie ‘Dr. No’, in which she was the lead actress. ‘Dr. No’ is the first movie in ‘James Bond’ series and was released in 1962.
Sources:
Claim –
1. Facebook post (archived)
2. Facebook post (archived)
Fact –
1. News Article – https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/james-bond-dr-no-behind-scenes-photos-sean-connery-ursula-andress-1439257
2. Getty Images – https://www.gettyimages.in/detail/news-photo/actors-ursula-andress-and-sean-connery-in-a-scene-from-dr-news-photo/74106336
3. Alamy stock photos – https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-dr-no-ursula-andress-1962-128114232.html
4. Alamy stock photos – https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-dr-no-england-1962-regie-terence-young-bild-sean-connery-u-ursula-114373514.html
5. IMDB – https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055928/
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Photos of the attack on Congress party men in 2016 are being re-circulated with misleading claims - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 24, 2019
Many Facebook users are sharing a post with photos of Punjab Congress supporters being thrashed with rods. It is even alleged that the man with a turban seen in the photo is Navjot Singh Sidhu. Let’s try to analyze the veracity of the claims made in the post.
Punjab Congress party workers were attacked with rods and the man with the turban seen in the photo is Navjot Singh Sidhu.
Fact: The photos in the post were taken in 2016 during the attack on Punjab Congress party workers and the man in the photo is not Navjot Singh Sidhu. Hence, the post is MISLEADING.
On doing Google Reverse Image search, the pictures in the post were found to be the ones related to the incident when Punjab Congress workers were attacked during a motorcycle rally. This incident was reported in “The Tribune” newspaper dated September 27, 2016. On searching YouTube, a video related to this incident was also found. If the video is seen clearly, one can easily distinguish that the man with a turban is not Navjot Singh Sidhu as alleged in the post. He is the then Congress Amritsar(Rural) district president and now Member of Parliament, Gurjeet Singh Aujla. The same has been mentioned in the Tribune story.
As the general elections are in progress, several such old photos and videos are being recirculated with misleading claims.


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Photos of the collapsed under-construction flyover in Gurugram is falsely shared as the metro line collapse in Mumbai - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 26, 2020
A post is being shared on social media claiming it as showing the photos of the metro line which collapsed near Phoenix mall in Mumbai. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Photos of the metro line which collapsed near phoenix mall in Mumbai.
Fact: Photos in the post show the collapsed under-construction flyover at Sohna road in Gurugram, not the metro line in Mumbai. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search, similar photos as shared in the post were found in a video posted by ‘ANI’ news channel on YouTube on ‘22 August 2020’. In the description of this video, it is mentioned that a portion of an under-construction flyover collapsed at Sohna road in Gurugram, Haryana. It mentioned that 2 persons were injured in this accident.
We found detailed information of this incident in an article published by ‘INDIA TV’ news website. In the article, it is mentioned that section of a 6 km long under-construction flyover collapsed near Sohna road on ‘22 August 2020’. It is also mentioned that a huge concrete slab of the flyover fell on the road because of which two persons get injured. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Gurugram police launched separate probes investigating the reasons behind the collapse.
To sum it up, photos of the collapsed under-construction flyover in Gurugram is falsely shared as the metro line collapse in Mumbai.
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Photos of the Leopard attack in Maharashtra from 2018 is falsely shared as the attack on Srisailam ghat road - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 27, 2020
A post is being shared on social media claiming that two persons were killed in a leopard attack on the Srisailam ghat road. In the post, a series of leopard photos are being shared. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Two persons killed in a leopard attack on the Srisailam ghat road.
Fact: Photos shared in the post are related to an incident that took place in Chiplun of Maharashtra, in the year 2018. Leopard in the photo attacked the forest officials when they tried to trap her in a cage at Ganekhadpoli village near Chiplun. It has nothing to do with Srisailam ghat roads in Andhra Pradesh. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of photos shared in the post, we found similar images in an article published by ‘Sakal’ news website on ‘11 December 2018’. In the article, it is mentioned that this incident took place at Ganekhadpoli village near Chiplun in Maharashtra. It is mentioned in the article that an injured leopard attacked the forest officials near Ganekhadpoli village when they tried to trap her in a cage. It is mentioned that two people were severely get injured in this attack of leopard.
When we searched for other sources using these keywords, we found a video posted by ‘Jai Maharashtra News’ news channel on YouTube. In the description of this video also, it is mentioned as the leopard attack in Chiplun.
Earlier, when similar photos of this leopard were shared with false claims, few fact-checking portals published articles about this incident. It can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, photos of the Leopard attack in Maharashtra from 2018 are falsely shared as the attack on Srisailam ghat road.
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2022లో కర్ణాటక నుండి తెలంగాణకు ధాన్యాలను రవాణా చేసేందుకు ప్రయత్నిస్తున్న ట్రక్కుల ఫోటోలను ఇప్పుడు షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 6, 2023
కర్ణాటక రాష్ట్రంలో ధాన్యానికి దొరకని మద్దతు ధర అంటూ పలు లారీలు ఆగి ఉన్న ఫోటోను షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు. దీని వెనుక ఉన్న వాస్తవం ఏంటో ఇప్పుడు చూద్దాం.
క్లెయిమ్: కర్ణాటకలో ధాన్యానికి కనీస మద్దతు ధర దొరకనందున తెలంగాణాకు తరలించారు.
ఫాక్ట్ (నిజం): ఈ ఫోటో మే 2022లో కర్ణాటకలో  ప్రభుత్వం ద్వారా  రైతులు పండించిన ధాన్యానికి మద్దతు ధర లభించకపోవటంతో, ధాన్యాన్ని తెలంగాణకు తరలించేందుకు ప్రయత్నించగా, నారాయణపేట జిల్లా వద్ద పోలీసులు  అడ్డుకున్న లారీల యొక్క దృశ్యం. ఇది ఇటీవల జరిగిన ఘటన కాదు. కావున ఈ పోస్టులో చేసిన క్లెయిమ్ తప్పుదోవ పట్టించే విధంగా ఉంది.
ఈ ఫోటోను రివర్స్ ఇమేజ్ సెర్చ్ చేయగా, ఇది పలు వార్త పత్రికల్లో (ఇక్కడ మరియు ఇక్కడ) పరచురించబడటం గమనించాం. ఇది మే 2022లో కర్ణాటకలో  ప్రభుత్వం ద్వారా  రైతులు పండించిన ధాన్యానికి మద్దతు ధర లభించకపోవటంతో, 16 లారీల్లో ధాన్యాన్ని తెలంగాణకు తరలించేందుకు ప్రయత్నించగా, కర్ణాటక సరిహద్దులోని నారాయణపేట జిల్లా మక్తల్ వద్ద పోలీసులు అడ్డుకున్న లారీల యొక్క దృశ్యం.
దీని గురించి పలు ఫేస్బుక్ పోస్టులలో షేర్ చేసినట్టు కూడా గమనించాం (ఇక్కడ మరియు ఇక్కడ). దేశంలో కేంద్ర ప్రభుత్వం కనీస మద్దతు ధరను నిర్ణయిస్తుంది, సేకరణ ప్రక్రియతో సహా MSP విధానాల అమలులో రాష్ట్ర ప్రభుత్వాల పాత్ర ఉంటుంది. కర్ణాటకలోని ధాన్యం యొక్క ప్రస్తుత కనీస  మద్దతు ధర వివరాలు ఇక్కడ చూడవచ్చు.
చివరిగా, 2022లో కర్ణాటక నుండి తెలంగాణకు ధాన్యాలను రవాణా చేసేందుకు ప్రయత్నిస్తున్న ట్రక్కుల ఫోటోలను ఇప్పుడు షేర్ చేస్తున్నారు.

created: November 6, 2023


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Photos of two different persons with Narendra Modi are falsely shared as the same person featured in both - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 22, 2023
A pair of photographs featuring PM Narendra Modi is being widely shared across social media. In the images, Narendra Modi is seen interacting with a cobbler and a few potters, respectively.  The claim accompanying these photos suggests that the same individual is featured in both these pictures as a cobbler and potter. This fact-check article aims to scrutinise this claim and present the facts behind these images.
Claim: The cobbler and potter seen with Narendra Modi in both these photographs is the same individual.
Fact: These photos were taken during the Inauguration event of the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in Delhi on 17 September 2023, during which, PM Modi interacted with various craftsmen. Upon closer examination of videos of this event, it is clear that the two individuals posing with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the photographs are, in fact, two different people. Therefore, the claim made in the post is False.
We began by performing a reverse image search on the internet using the two photographs to validate the claim. We learnt that on 17 September 2023, PM Modi inaugurated the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi, during which these photos were taken (here, here, and here).
In this video of the inauguration event available on the YouTube channel of the ANI News, we can see him meeting a potter and a cobbler.
Here, you can see him interacting with the potters. The viral claim is that the man sitting to the PM’s extreme right is the same one as the cobbler who appears a bit earlier in this video (also here). Observing them keenly will reveal that both of them are not the same person. You can see the difference between both of them in the following collage.
To sum up, it is clear that the claim circulating on social media about the same individual posing with Narendra Modi in two different pictures is False. The two persons in the photographs are distinct individuals.

created: September 22, 2023


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Photos of two friends taken 75 years apart? No, the Women in both photos are not the same - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 5, 2021
A post is being shared widely on social media with a claim that the photos show 75 years of friendship between two women. It is being claimed that the young women and old women in the photos are the same persons. Let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photos of two friends taken 75 years apart.
Fact: The women in both photos are not the same. While the women in the first photo are Mityoshina (‘Митюшкина’) and Zalko (‘Залка’), the women in the second photo are Gita and Sheina – Leia. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
There are two photos in the post. Let us check who are the people in the photos by taking each photo separately.
Photo 1:
When the photo was run through Google Reverse Image Search, the black and white version of the same photo was found on the ‘Getty Images’ website. In the description of the photo, it can be read – ‘World war 2, senior sergeants v, mityoshina and n, zalko, former students of the moscow state theatrical institute have been at the front from the first days of the war, they have been awarded the medal ‘for military services’ for bravery and courage.’ The same photo can be found with a similar description on other websites, which can be seen here, here, and here. So, the names of the women in the photo are Mityoshina (‘Митюшкина’) and Zalko (‘Залка’).
Photo 2:
This photo was found to be clicked by a photographer – ‘Boris Ravich’. When we searched with relevant keywords, the same photo was found to be published by a Russian website. On the website, it can be read that the women in the photo are Gita and Sheina-Leia.
The photographer – ‘Boris Ravich’ has also posted (archived) the photo on Odnoklassniki (a social network service used mainly in Russia and former Soviet Republics) in 2015. In the description, he wrote – ‘Grannies, participants in the war. Geeta 95 and Sheina – Leia 97. Israel. Geeta is a pilot. Shane-Leia is a nurse.’ (English translation)
To sum it up, the women in both photos are not the same. So, the post does not show photos of two friends taken 75 years apart.


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Photos show damaged Tejas Express windows before its introduction on the Mumbai-Karmali route in 2017 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
October 10, 2019
Some photos are being shared on social media with a claim that the windows of the newly launched Tejas Express train (on Delhi-Lucknow route) were damaged by some people on the next day of its launch. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Damaged window photos of newly introduced Tejas Express train between Delhi and Lucknow.
Fact: The photos in the post are old photos. According to ANI, “windows of newly launched Tejas Express damaged by unknown people, while it was travelling from Delhi to Mumbai” in May 2017. So, the old photos are being shared as the photos of newly introduced Tejas Express train between Delhi and Lucknow. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
When searched about the issue on Google with the keywords ‘Tejas Train windows broken’, several news articles published in 2017 can be found in the search results. The photos in the post can be found in a tweet by ANI in May 2017. According to ANI, “windows of newly launched Tejas Express damaged by unknown people, while it was travelling from Delhi to Mumbai”. On the PIB website, it was found that India’s First Tejas Express was introduced between Mumbai and Karmali on 22 May 2017. The train was damaged on its way to Mumbai, before the flagging off event.
Windows of newly launched Tejas Express damaged by unknown people, while it was travelling from Delhi to Mumbai, yesterday pic.twitter.com/LHMUbW4vkp
Tejas Express was launched on the Delhi-Lucknow route at the Lucknow Junction Railway Station on 4 October 2019. So, old photos are being shared as the photos of the newly introduced Tejas Express train between Delhi and Lucknow.
Uttar Pradesh CM @myogiadityanath flags off the much awaited first corporate train of the country, Lucknow-Delhi #Tejas Express today at the Lucknow Junction Railway Station. #Tejas will have all modern facilities for the passengers. pic.twitter.com/YxvWOxcvEb
To sum it up, photos show damaged Tejas Express windows before its introduction on the Mumbai-Karmali route in 2017.
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created: October 10, 2019


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Photos taken at BJP party office in Bhopal on 20 March 2020 shared as a gathering during the lockdown on 23 March 2020 - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 7, 2020
A couple of images are being shared on social media claiming that they show a gathering of BJP members in Madhya Pradesh on 23 March 2020 i.e. the date on which lockdown was introduced in few districts of the State. FACTLY has found that the images show a gathering of BJP men at their party office in Bhopal on 20 March 2020. The lockdown was introduced in 10 districts of the State including the State capital Bhopal on 23 March 2020. So, the images are of an event prior to the introduction of lockdown in Bhopal. Earlier, on 19 March 2020, in his address to the nation, PM Modi had asked people to practice ‘social distancing’ and to stay home as much as possible for the coming few weeks to combat COVID-19. He had also asked the people of India to observe ‘Janata Curfew’ on 22 March by staying in their houses from 7 am to 9 pm.
Sources:
Claim – Facebook post (archived)
Fact – https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1240930722019332096
https://www.news18.com/news/india/mp-govt-extends-lockdown-duration-across-state-after-seventh-case-of-coronavirus-reported-in-jabalpur-2548239.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWmrm-LAoQw
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A photoshoot picture depicting Yashoda and Krishna is falsely shared as a painting of Raja Ravi Verma - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 6, 2021
An image is being shared on social media claiming it as a beautiful painting of Raja Ravi Verma. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Image showing a beautiful painting of Raja Ravi Verma.
Fact: The image shared in the post shows a photoshoot picture clicked by a Karnataka-based photographer named Nagendra Mayya. This image does not show a painting and it has nothing to do with Raja Ravi Verma. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, a similar photo was found published on an Instagram page named ‘nmclicks’, on 30 August 2021. This is the Instagram handle of a Karnataka-based photographer, Narendra Mayya. He mentioned it as a photoshoot picture depicting Yashoda and Krishna. Narendra Mayya photography offers themed or creative candid photoshoots of weddings, newborn babies, travel, birthday parties, and couple and baby photoshoot. Narendra Mayya photography had also shared this photograph on their Facebook page.
Similar candid photoshoot pictures of babies were found on the ‘nmclicks’ Instagram handle. Several prominent baby-oriented Instagram handles like ‘babies. Galaxy’ and ‘babies. Enthusiasts’ have shared the same photograph crediting it to Narendra Mayya’s photography. They can be seen here and here. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the image shared in the post shows a photoshoot picture, not the painting of Raja Ravi Verma.
To sum it up, a photoshoot picture depicting Yashoda and Krishna is falsely shared as a beautiful painting of Raja Ravi Verma.

created: December 6, 2021


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Photoshopped image falsely shared as AAP government’s riot relief assistance in Delhi is only for Muslims - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 5, 2020
An image of a newspaper advertisement purportedly issued by the AAP government in Delhi for the relief of riot victims is making rounds on social media. The advertisement is in Hindi and the English translation of the heading reads “Delhi government’s assistance scheme for the help of riot victims (Muslims)”. So, it is being claimed that the AAP government’s scheme is intended only for those riot victims who are Muslims. The ad has details about the monetary compensation to be provided to the victims based on the category into which they fall and compensation to be given for the damage caused to their residential and commercial units. Let’s check the veracity of the claim made in the post.
AAP government in Delhi to provide compensation only to the Muslim victims of Delhi riots.
Fact: The image in the post is a photoshopped one. In the advertisement about riot assistance scheme, the word ‘Muslims’ isn’t there in the heading or anywhere else in the ad.  So, the Delhi riot victims, irrespective of their religion, can avail themselves of the monetary benefits under the riot assistance scheme. So, the claim is FALSE.
On the official Twitter account of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a tweet in regard to the riot assistance scheme was found. In the tweet, the digital version of the advertisement can be seen. In the ad, the word ‘Muslim’ wasn’t found anywhere. And, in the tweet by Ankit Lal (Social media and IT strategist for AAP), the ad about the scheme in ‘English’ language can be seen. In that too, there is no mention of the word ‘Muslim’.  Also, when one goes through the epaper ad of ‘Jagran’, a Hindi daily, the same can be seen. So, the Delhi riot victims irrespective of their religion can avail themselves of the monetary benefits, under the riot assistance scheme, provided by the Delhi government.
To sum it up, a photoshopped image of a newspaper ad falsely shared as Delhi government’s riot relief assistance is only for Muslims.
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Photoshopped image of Sonia Gandhi and Maldives Ex-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is being circulated with false claims - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 2, 2019
Many Facebook users are sharing a post with the picture of Sonia Gandhi sitting on the lap of Maldives Ex-President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post
Sonia Gandhi sat in the lap of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Fact: The original photo was taken in 2005 when Maumoon Abdul Gayoom met Sonia Gandhi during his visit to India. In the picture, both the leaders were sitting on separate chairs. This image is photoshopped and circulated with FALSE claims.
When the image in the post is run through Google Reverse Image Search, the picture is found in Getty images, a photo library. Below the picture, the description reads, ‘President of the Republic of Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (R) talks with the chairperson of India’s United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi during a meeting in New Delhi, 29 March 2005. Gayoom is on a six-day visit to India until 01 April, during which he is scheduled to meet with Indian leaders and visit the southern cities of Madras and Trivandrum’. In the image, it can be seen that Sonia Gandhi and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom were sitting in their respective chairs.
To sum it up, Sonia Gandhi wasn’t sitting in the lap of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. It’s an edited photo.


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Photoshopped image shared as 'Howdy Modi' poster on Times Square building - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 26, 2019
A photo of Modi and Trump together on a ‘Howdy Modi’ poster is being shared on social media with a claim that it is displayed on a building in New York’s Times Square . Let’s try to analyze the authenticity of this photo.
Modi and Trump ‘Howdy Mody’ poster at New York’s Times Square.
Fact:  Picture shared as Modi and Trump ‘Howdy Modi’ poster at New York’s Times Square is photoshopped one. The original picture does not have any such poster. Hence the claim is FALSE.
When the photo in the post was reverse image searched using ‘Yandex’, a photo which looked similar to the photo in the post was obtained in the search result.  Same people and cars were seen in that photo as well. However, there were no posters of ‘Howdy Modi’ in that photo. Also, one building in the photo had a light board with ‘2018’ on it. But ‘Howdy Modi’ event happened in 2019.
Also, in the search result, ‘PhotoFunia’ website link was one of the results. ‘PhotoFunia’ is a photo effects website. On this website, there is an effect called ‘New York at Night’. By using this effect, we can display photos of our choice on three billboards at Times Square. The photo in the post may have been created in a similar fashion.
To conclude, the picture shared as Modi and Trump ‘Howdy Modi’ poster at New York’s Times Square is photoshopped one. The original picture does not have any such poster.
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created: September 26, 2019


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Photoshopped image shared as ‘largest Blue Whale ever caught on camera’ - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 24, 2020
An image is being widely shared on Facebook with a claim that it is the largest Blue Whale ever caught on camera. Let’s analyze the claim made in the post.
Image of the largest Blue Whale ever caught on camera.
Fact: The image is not a real one. It is digitally created by bringing two different photos together to make it appear like a gigantic blue whale swimming under a suspension bridge. So, the claim is FALSE.
When the image is subjected to Google reverse image search technique, many search results  were obtained. While going through those search results, ‘Reddit’ had the same image but with the watermark of an Instagram account ‘umutrecberart’. When searched for that account, it was found to be that of a ‘digital artist’. The account had the image in the post and it was written that the image is digitally created by bringing two different photos together using the ‘Photoshop’ tool.
In another Instagram post, the artist has also put the two photos which were used in the creation of that image.
To sum it up, a digitally created image is being shared as an image of the largest Blue Whale ever caught on camera.
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created: January 24, 2020


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Obama holding Ambedkar’s portrait? No, it is photoshopped. - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 24, 2020
A photo of Barack Obama (Former President of USA) holding the portrait of Ambedkar is being shared widely on social media. Let’s try to check the authenticity of the photo.
Photo of Obama holding the portrait of Ambedkar.
Fact: It is a photoshopped image. In the original picture, a set of gloves were present in the place of Ambedkar. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the image was run through the Yandex Reverse Image Search, many similar images were found in the search results. It was found that the posted image is a cropped version. The original full picture was found on the ‘Flickr’ website with the description – ‘Johnson give gloves to Obama’. Many other pictures and videos related to the event can be seen here, here and here.
It can be seen that the same photo is also available as a photo-effect on the ‘PhotoFunia’ website. So, anything can be placed in the place of gloves.
Talking about Ambedkar in his speech at the Indian Parliament, on 08 November 2010, Obama said – ‘We believe that no matter who you are or where you come from, every person can fulfill their God-given potential, just as a Dalit like Dr. Ambedkar could lift himself up and pen the words of the Constitution that protects the rights of all Indians.’ The full transcript of the speech can be read here.
To sum it up, Obama was not holding the portrait of Ambedkar in the photo.
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Photoshopped image shared as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath drinking cow urine - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 9, 2020
A post with a photo of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Adityanath drinking cow urine is being widely shared on Facebook. Let’s try to analyze the extent of truth in this post.
An image of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Adityanath drinking urine from a cow.
Fact: The posted photo is a photoshopped image. In the original photo, Adityanath is seen drinking water from a hand pump. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
In the process of verifying the information about the shared photo, it was found that when the same photo was circulated on Twitter, a journalist has tweeted the original photo saying that the photo shared in the post is fake. In the original photo tweeted by him, no cow is visible and Adityanath is seen drinking water from a hand pump. When the two photos are compared with each other, it can be seen that the surroundings in both photos are the same.
When the portion of the cow in the posted photo was cropped and searched on the internet, the complete photo of that cow was found on this website. The back portion of the cow from that photo was used to create the photo that was shared in the post.
To sum it up, the photo of Adityanath drinking urine from a cow is a photoshopped image.
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Photoshopped news clip falsely shared to claim Amit Shah wanting to change the demography of Kashmir in four years - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 2, 2020
A newspaper clip of an article purportedly published by the ‘Hindustan Times’ is being shared widely on social media. The clip carries the news that Amit Shah had said to the VHP cadre that they (government) would not allow a state to have Muslim majority population when the whole of India is a Hindu majority; so, they (government) would change the demography of Kashmir in just four years. Let’s check the authenticity of that news clip.
Amit Shah had said to the VHP cadre that they would change the demography of Kashmir in just four years.
Fact: The newspaper clip of ‘Hindustan times’ carrying that news is an edited one. The original article carried the news that Amit Shah has reworked Kashmir’s domicile law by including those who were residing in the state for 15 years. The writer of the original article, ‘Neeraj Chauhan’, has also clarified that the information in the clip is fake and it is an edited one. So, the claim is FALSE.
In the photo, it can be seen that the article in the newspaper clip was written by ‘Neeraj Kumar’ for the ‘Hindustan Times’. In the article, it was reported that Amit Shah would change the demography of Kashmir by changing the Muslim ratio in the state by allowing more Hindus into the state by offering them plots for residence, industries and commercial establishments.
When searched on Google with the keywords in the news clip, no such article was found. But, when the image in the clip is cropped and subjected to reverse image search, an article of ‘Hindustan Times’ was found. The article was about Amit Shah reworking Kashmir’s domicile law by including those who were residing in the state for 15 years. It reported that Amit Shah had assured a delegation of Kashmiri leaders last month that the apprehensions about the Union Territory’s demographic changes were baseless. It also carried the information that the government has redefined domicile rules for Kashmir and ordered that only people who fulfill that criteria are eligible to be appointed to junior posts in the bureaucracy and the constabulary. The article had the same image, author, and date as that of the one in the clip. So, the news clip in the post is an edited one.
Also, the writer of the article and Associate Editor of the Hindustan Times, Neeraj Chouhan, has tweeted and clarified that the information in the clip is fake and it is an edited one.
A FAKE news is doing rounds on whatsapp with my name. This isn’t my story or on HT website. Somebody has edited this and spreading it. This is absolutely FAKE. Request all fact-checkers to please see. @free_thinker @AltNews @boomlive_in @syednazakat @smhoaxslayer @jencyjac pic.twitter.com/k3bBIdWv9w
To sum it up, a photoshopped news clip is being shared to falsely claim that Amit Shah wanted to change the demography of Kashmir in four years.
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Photoshopped SBI card is falsely shared as liquor card to be launched by Andhra Pradesh government - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 11, 2019
A post with a photo is circulating on social media with a claim that the card shown in the photo is a 5000-rupees worth liquor card from Andhra Pradesh (AP) government. Let’s try to analyze the claim made in the post.
Photo of 5000-rupees worth liquor card from Andhra Pradesh government.
Fact: Photo shared as a liquor card from Andhra Pradesh government is photoshopped version of a State Bank of India (SBI) card. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
When the photo in the post was searched using Google reverse image technique, a similar photo was found in a 2017 ‘Business Today’ article. From the article, it is understood that the photo is that of a State Bank of India (SBI) card. This SBI card was photoshopped and is being falsely shared as a liquor card from the Andhra Pradesh government.
Also, in an article published by ‘Sakshi’ newspaper on December 8, 2019, the MD of Andhra Pradesh State Beverage Corporation Limited (APSBCL), Vasudeva Reddy has clarified that there is no truth in the information that AP government is introducing liquor cards.
To summarize, an edited SBI card is being falsely shared as a liquor card from the Andhra Pradesh government.
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created: December 11, 2019


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Photoshopped version of an old photo is now falsely shared as the public support for Kangana Ranaut - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 10, 2020
A collage with the photos of a group of people holding placards is being shared on social media. On the placards, Kangana Ranaut is described as a Hindu Lioness and asks her to continue the battle with the Maharashtra government. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
A group of people holding the placards in support of Kangana Ranaut.
Fact: Photos in the post shows a photoshopped version of placards held by a group of Congress workers in April 2020. In the original photo, people held the placards that displayed ‘Arrest Anti Indian Arnab’. They displayed these placards in a protest against Journalist Arnab Goswami’s alleged insulting comments on Sonia Gandhi. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of photos shared in the post, the original version of this photo was found in a Facebook post of ‘Indian Youth Congress’. In the post, it is clarified that supporters of a certain actor have been misusing their photo which was shot during their protest against Journalist Arnab Goswami for his alleged insulting comments on Sonia Gandhi. In the original version of the photo, the placards display ‘Arrest Anti Indian Arnab’. By photoshopping the words on the original placards held by Congress supporters, few social media users are sharing it as the love and support of people for Kangana Ranaut in the ongoing tussle with Maharashtra Government.
The original version of the photo was also found in articles published by ‘Navjeevan’ and ‘The Loknithi’ news websites. They can be seen here and here. Both these articles were published on ‘22 April 2020’.
To sum it up, photoshopped version of old photos is now falsely shared as the public support for Kangana Ranaut.

created: September 10, 2020


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Picture from Bangladesh is shared as Hindu family converting to Islam in Rajasthan - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
December 29, 2021
A photo is being shared on social media claiming it as a recent picture of five people from a Hindu family converting to Islam in Rajasthan. Sharing the photo, this post accuses the Ashok Gehlot led Congress Government of Rajasthan of turning a blind eye to religious conversions in the state. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent picture of a Hindu family converting to Islam in Rajasthan.
Fact: This photo shows a recent religious conversion visual from the Narsingdi district in Bangladesh. Five people from the same Hindu family have recently converted to Islam in Madhabadi village in Narsingdi district. This photo has nothing to do with Rajasthan. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, similar photos were found in a Facebook post made by a Bangladesh national named Hasan Aoib. He described it as the visuals of five members from the same Hindu family converting to Islam in Madhabadi village of Narsingdi district, Bangladesh. Hasan Aoib had shared a YouTube video link in the description of the Facebook post. This video shows the live religious conversion visuals of the Hindu family seen in the photo. The description of the video states, “After listening to Mizanur Rahman Azhari’s Waz, five people converted to Islam. Mizanur rahman azhari Narsingdi” (text translated from Bengali to English).
When we searched for more information related to this religious conversion, similar photos were found in recent articles published by the Bangladesh-based local news websites. They can be seen here and here. All these news articles reported that five members from the same family in the Madhabdi municipal area of Narsingdi district have converted to Islam from Hinduism.
To sum it up, a religious conversion picture from Bangladesh is shared as visuals of a Hindu family converting to Islam in Rajasthan.

created: December 29, 2021


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Picture of a Sculpture in Thailand Museum is shared as that from Kashiraj Kali temple in Varanasi, India - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 26, 2021
An image is being shared on social media claiming it as a beautiful sculpture inside the Kashiraj Kali Mandir in Varanasi. This post mentions it as the most beautiful sculpture in India better than even the Taj Mahal. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of a beautiful sculpture inside the Kashiraj Kali Mandir in Varanasi.
Fact: This sculpture is at ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’ museum in Pattaya city, Thailand. ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’ is a gigantic wooden construction filled with the ancient Hindu and Buddhist sculptures. This sculpture is not from India. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, a similar sculpture photo was found in the ‘iStock’ image sharing website. This website mentioned it as a religious sculpture, constructed inside ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’ museum in Pattaya city, Thailand. When we searched for more information using the keywords, a similar photo of the sculpture is found on ‘Tripadvisor’ website. This website also mentioned it as one of the beautiful sculptures inside ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’, a religious construction in Pattaya city of Thailand.
Similar visuals of the sculpture were found in the YouTube videos posted by a few tourists of ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’. They can be seen here and here. Also, the same sculpture is found in the Google Street View inside ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the sculpture shared in the post is from ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’ museum in Thailand.
‘The Sanctuary of Truth’ is a sanctuary constructed by a Thailand millionaire with an intent to keep traditional craftsmanship alive. It was commissioned to act as a place of appreciation for philosophy, art, culture, and faith, without being tied to a single religion.
To sum it up, a sculpture in ‘The Sanctuary of Truth’ museum is being shared as the beautiful sculpture inside the Kashiraj Kali temple in Varanasi.


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Picture of Banjara singer is being circulated as that of Ranchi Collector taking charge in traditional uniform - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
May 5, 2019
A post is being shared across social media platforms claiming that the
first Banjara (Tribal) community collector in India, Smt. Shobha Rathod joined at Ranchi (Jharkhand) in traditional uniform. Let analyse the claims made in the post.
Claim  First Lady of Banjara (Tribal) community, Smt. Shobha Rathod become a District Collector and joined at Ranchi (Jharkhand) in traditional uniform
Fact There is no IAS officer with the name Shobha Rathod in the Civil List and Ranchi Deputy Commissioner has mentioned that it’s a fake news.  The Ranchi Deputy Commissioner’s name is Mahimapat Ray. Hence the claim made is FALSE.
Ranchi official website lists all the IAS officers of Ranchi and the name Shobha Rathod is not listed there. It is also to be noted that Ranchi has the designation of ‘Deputy Commissioner’ instead of ‘Collector’.  Rai Mahimapat Ray, the Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi through his official twitter account has responded to one such post confirming that the news is fake while requesting to delete and not share it.
To confirm if there is any IAS officer in India with the name Shobha Rathod, we searched the IAS Civil List and found that there is no IAS officer in the country with the name Shobha Rathod. To verify whose picture is being shared as that of Ranchi IAS officer, we reverse searched the image and found few results showing her as a Banjara singer.
To sum it up, the picture claiming Shobha Rathod taking charge in traditional attire as IAS (Ranchi) is fake.


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Picture of Statue of Liberty replica in France shared as New York’s Statue of Liberty draped in a Ukrainian flag - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
March 1, 2022
A photo is being shared on social media claiming it as a recent picture of New York’s Statue of Liberty draped in the Ukrainian flag. Sharing the post, this post says that the Statue of Liberty wishes for the Liberty and Freedom of Ukraine. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Photo of New York’s Statue of Liberty draped in the Ukrainian flag.
Fact: The photo shared in the post shows a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Colmar, France. Recently, amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, the copper-green resin replica of the Statue of Liberty was draped in Ukraine’s National Flag to show its support for Ukraine. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, we found a similar photo tweeted by Franak Viacorka, Senior advisor to Belarusian human rights activist Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Franak Viacorka mentioned in a reply tweet that the picture shows the replica of the Statue of Liberty in Colmar, France. He emphasized that the photo does not show the original Statue of Liberty in New York.
It’s not in New York. It’s a replica of Statue of Liberty in French Colmar
When we searched with relevant keywords, we found several news articles reporting this news of Colmar’s Statue of Liberty draped in the Ukrainian flag. They can be seen here and here. These news articles reported that the copper-green resin replica of the Statue of Liberty in French Colmar was draped in Ukraine’s National Flag to show its support for Ukraine.
To sum it up, a picture of the replica of the Statue of Liberty draped in the Ukrainian flag is shared as New York’s true Statue of Liberty.


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Pictures of a 100-feet long ‘American Dream’ car falsely shared as Shahrukh Khan’s Limousine in Dubai - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 9, 2022
A collage of images is being shared on social media claiming thee are visuals of actor Shahrukh Khan’s personal Limousine in Dubai. This post claims that apart from Shahrukh Khan’s family, only PM Modi was allowed to sit inside this luxury Limousine. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Pictures of Shahrukh Khan’s luxury Limousine in Dubai.
Fact: The images shared in the post show the ‘American Dream’, the world’s longest car designed by Hollywood car customiser Jay Ohrberg in 1992. The 100-feet long limousine was designed based on 1976 Cadillac Eldorado limousines. This car earned the Guinness World Record title for the world’s longest car in 1999. The post does not show the Limousine owned by Bollywood Actor Shahrukh Khan in Dubai. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
On reverse image search of the pictures shared in the post, similar pictures were found in an article published by the ‘Amar Ujala’ news website in 2018. ‘Amar Ujala’ reported it is the pictures of ‘American Dream’, the world’s longest Limousine designed in the United States in the ‘90s. Reporting the same, several news websites published articles sharing the same pictures. They can be seen here, here and here.
When we searched for further sources using relevant keywords, we found details of this car on the Guinness World Records website. The Guinness World Records website described it as the visuals of the 26-wheeled world’s longest car designed by the Hollywood car customiser Jay Ohrberg in 1992. This 100-feet long American Dream car received the Guinness World Record for being the world’s longest car in 1999. According to the article, the American Dream limo was designed based on the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado limousines. This American Dream Limousine was featured with the amenities like a helipad, jacuzzi, water bed, swimming pool and others. In March 2022, The American Dream restored its glory as the World’s longest car by breaking its own record by a small fraction. ‘The Express’ news website published the same picture with the description, “The world’s longest car is on display at a museum in Florida measuring over 100 feet in length.”
Multiple Arab news websites published articles in 2014 reporting that Shahrukh Khan and his wife made an impressive entry by stepping down from their personal luxury Limousine at an event in Dubai. Several Indian news websites published articles reporting that PM Narendra Modi used Shahrukh Khan’s personal Limousine during the Commonwealth meeting held in the United Kingdom, in 2018. They can be read here and here. But we could not find any pictures or videos showing PM Modi using Shahrukh’s Limousine during the Commonwealth meeting held at Buckingham palace in 2018. Though we could not ascertain whether Narendra Modi used Shahrukh Khan’s car during the Commonwealth meeting in 2018, from all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that the images in the viral post show the pictures of world’s longest car American Dream, not the Limousine of Shahrukh Khan in Dubai.
To sum it up, pictures of a 100-feet long ‘American Dream’ car displayed at the Florida Museum are shared as Shahrukh Khan’s Limousine in Dubai.

created: November 9, 2022


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Pictures of a woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer are shared with a false narrative that she gave birth to nine babies at once - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 12, 2022
A post that contains a video in which a woman can be seen with a huge belly sitting on a hospital bed is being shared on social media. The post claims that she gave birth to nine babies, which are shown in the video. Let’s fact-check this claim through this article.
Claim: Photo of a woman with a huge belly who gave birth to nine babies at a time.
Fact: The name of the woman from the viral post is Huang Guoxian. Her belly grew uncontrollably due to Ovarian cancer. She underwent surgery to get rid of the lumps and fluid that formed in her abdomen due to cancer. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
We searched the internet with relevant keywords and found a few news reports about the woman from the viral video. The Daily Mail reported in October 2020 that the woman’s name is Huang Guoxian, and her abdomen grew abnormally for two years due to terminal cancer. Doctors performed surgery on her to remove the tumour and fluid that formed in her belly due to ovarian cancer.
A few other news reports from the time before her condition was diagnosed can be read here, here and here . Clearly, it can be understood that the viral post has falsely used her pictures to claim that she gave birth to nine babies at a time, which is false.
To summarise, pictures of a woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer are shared with a false narrative that she gave birth to nine babies at once.

created: September 12, 2022


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Pictures of Col Navjot Singh Bal who died in April 2020 shared as recent pictures of a hospitalised Indian army soldier - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 29, 2022
A collage of images is being shared on social media claiming it is a recent picture of a hospitalised Indian army soldier who is wishing people to pray for his early recovery. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Recent photos of a hospitalised Indian army soldier.
Fact: The images shared in the post show the late Indian Army Colonel Navjot Singh Bal who died fighting a rare cancer in April 2020. The last rites of Navjot Singh Bal were performed two years back in Bengaluru. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
On reverse image search of the photos shared in the post, similar photos were found tweeted by the ‘ABP News’ journalist Neeraj Rajput on 09 April 2020. Sharing the pictures, Neeraj Rajput tweeted that Colonel Navjot Singh Bal, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, died fighting cancer in April 2020. Neeraj Rajput reported it as Navjot Singh Bal’s last selfie picture taken on his hospital bed.
Ex CO of 4 Para Col Navjot Singh Bal (Shaurya Chakra) died fighting cancer, see smile in his last selfie on hospital bed
'Balidaan Param Dharma'
Om Shanti 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/r8wG5FkQMe
When we searched for further sources using relevant keywords on the internet, we found the same pictures in an article published by the ‘Amar Ujala’ in April 2020. Amar Ujala reported that Navjot Singh Bal, an ex-commanding officer of the Indian Army’s 2 Para (Special Forces), had died fighting rare cancer on 09 April 2020, in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
The last rites of Navjot Singh Bal were performed two years back in Bengaluru. Reporting the news of Navjot Singh Bal’s death, several news websites published articles in April 2020. They can be seen here and here.
To sum it up, old pictures of Col Navjot Singh Bal who died fighting Cancer in April 2020 shared as the recent pictures of a hospitalised Indian army soldier.

created: November 29, 2022


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Pictures of Malayalam actress Anicka Vikhraman allegedly assaulted by her ex-boyfriend shared with a love jihad narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
April 19, 2023
A collage of images is being shared on social media claiming it is the pictures of a Hindu woman who was brutally abused and physically assaulted by her Muslim boyfriend. Adding love jihad context to the incident, the post claims it is the pictures of a communist secular Hindu woman named Ankita Vijay who was brutally assaulted by her Muslim boyfriend Abdul. The photo shows a woman showing the injuries on her face, eyes and other parts of her body. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Pictures of a Hindu woman named Ankita Vijay who was brutally assaulted by her Muslim boyfriend Abdul.
Fact: The woman with injuries and bruises on her body in these pictures is Malayalam actress Anicka Vikhraman. Anicka Vikhraman shared these pictures on her Facebook handle accusing her ex-boyfriend Anoop Pillai of allegedly abusing and assaulting her. The injured girl’s name is not Ankita Vijay and there is no communal angle in the incident. Hence, the claim made in the post is False.
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, one of the pictures was found in an article published by ‘The Indian Express’ news website on 07 March 2023. The article reported it is the pictures by Malayalam actress Anicka Vikhraman while accusing her ex-boyfriend of abusing her mentally and physically for the past few years.
According to the article, in a detailed Facebook post, which was deleted now, Anicka Vikhraman shared these pictures and narrated her ordeal and horrific abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend Anoop Pillai. Anicka Vikhraman reportedly accused Anoop Pillai of abusing her mentally and physically for the past few years. Reporting the details and the pictures Anicka Vikhraman shared in her Facebook posts, several news websites published articles in March 2023. They can be seen here and here.
Anicka Vikhraman’s ex-boyfriend Anoop Pillai denied these allegations made by Anicka Vikhraman saying that Anicka had injured herself in an inebriated state and posted pictures intentionally to spread false propaganda against him. The injured woman in the pictures is Anicka Vikhraman, and her ex-boyfriend whom she accused of mental and physical assault is not a Muslim.
To sum it up, pictures of Malayalam actress Anicka Vikhraman allegedly assaulted by her ex-boyfriend were shared with a love jihad narrative.


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Pictures of Manmohan Singh and PM Modi at G20 summits are compared with a misleading narrative - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
November 16, 2022
A photo collage featuring the images of former PM Manmohan Singh and PM Narendra Modi with world leaders is being shared with the claim, “Now we (India) talk eye to eye instead of hiding our head (referring to Manmohan Singh’s picture)”. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: While Manmohan Singh was seen hiding his face at G20 summit gathering in 2011, PM Modi interacted face to face with world leaders at the recent summit.
Fact: The image of Manmohan Singh was captured during the moment when he looked down at the steps for a while during a photo session at G20 summit, 2011. Other pictures and videos show him standing normally and interacting with world leaders face-to-face. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
Reverse image search of the first image in the collage led us to the original image on Reuters website. According to the description, the image shows G20 leaders taking part in a family photo during G20 summit in France on 03 November 2011. The picture shows Manmohan Singh keeping his head down while other leaders interact with each other. However, other pictures show him standing with his head in a normal position and also interacting with fellow representatives from other countries.
Also, a video during this photo session of world leaders shows him standing in a normal posture. However, the photo is clicked during the moment when he looked down at the floor in front of him. Similar visuals of other looking down during this session can be seen here and here.
Similarly, on other occasions, Manmohan Singh interacted with other world leaders ‘face-to-face’. Some pictures of Manmohan Singh interacting with then German president Christian Wulff, Vladimir Putin, and Barack Obama can be seen here, here and here. Also, according to a BBC report, US former President Barack Obama praised Manmohan Singh in his memoir as ‘Wise, thoughtful, honest and chief architect of India’s economic transformation’.
The second image in the post shows Indian PM Narendra Modi interacting with US President Joe Biden and Indonesian President Joko Widodo at G20 summit in Indonesia, 2022.
Factly had earlier debunked another narrative that portrayed Manmohan Singh as a stronger Prime Minister when compared to Narendra Modi by sharing a picture of Manmohan Singh standing in the middle and another picture of PM Modi standing at the corner end of world leaders.
To sum it up,  picture of Manmohan Singh is falsely shared as him bowing before world leaders and compared with the picture of PM Narendra Modi with a misleading narrative.

created: November 16, 2022


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Pictures shot during the Yogi Adityanath govt in UP are shared as abysmal condition of schools during SP tenure - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
January 13, 2022
A few prominent BJP National leaders shared a collage of images on social media claiming it as the comparison of infrastructure development under the previous Samajwadi Party government and under the present Yogi Adityanath government after 2017 in Uttar Pradesh. This post shared the conditions of different government schools in Uttar Pradesh. In the wake of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections in 2022, this post is being widely shared on social media. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Collage comparing the condition of schools in UP during Samajwadi Party government with the current Yogi Adityanath’s government.
Fact: Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on 19 March 2017. All these photos shared in the post are taken during the present Yogi Adityanath’s government in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Let’s check the details of the photos shared in the post one by one.
Photo-1:
On reverse image search of the photo shared in the post, a similar photo was found in the ‘Amar Ujala’ article published on 07 January 2021. This article reported it as the bad condition of a government school in Jafarpur village of Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh. Through the article, it is confirmed that the photo was taken during the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh.
Photo-2:
On observing the photo carefully, we could see the ‘Prathamik Vidhyalay Amanpur-Chithrakot’ name on the school building. Also, we could see a date stamp 2018-8-8 on the photo. On reverse image search of the photo, a similar photo was found in an article published by the ‘UttarPradesh.org’ website in 2018. Sharing the photo, this website reported that teachers including students are facing trouble because of water logging in Amanpur primary school in Chitrakot district, Uttar Pradesh. So, it can be confirmed that the photo shared in the post was taken in 2018 during the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh.
Photo-3:
On reverse image search, a similar photo was found in an article published by the ‘News Adda’ news website on 17 December 2020. This article reported it as the visuals of a primary school that was found locked during a sudden inspection in Sukrauli town in Uttar Pradesh. There are several such reports about locked primary schools in Uttar Pradesh during the Yogi Adityanath government’s tenure as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Photos 4, 5, and 6:
On reverse image search of the photos shared in the post, it is found out that all these photos shared in the post show the visuals inside an astronomy lab built in a government school in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh. BJP National Secretary Y. Satya Kumar shared similar photos through a tweet on 03 January 2022. Further information related to this new astronomy lab built in Uttar Pradesh can be seen here. From all these pieces of evidence, it can be concluded that all photos shared in the post were taken after Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister in March 2017.
A silent revolution is taking place in govt schools of Uttar Pradesh.
These pictures are of a govt school in Bulandshahr.
Kudos to @myogiadityanath Ji. pic.twitter.com/gdwsCO4WfL
To sum it up, pictures taken during the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh are shared as the abysmal condition of schools during the Samajwadi party’s tenure.

created: January 13, 2022