Old Visuals of Child Sitting on Man's Body Incorrectly Linked to Pahalgam Attack
Neither is this video recent nor is it related to the Pahalgam terror attack which claimed at least 20 lives.
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A video which shows a child crying atop a person's body is being shared on social media platforms with users linking it to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on 22 April 2025.
What's the context?: As per recent reports, terrorists opened fire on a group of visitors in Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam, which led to the death of at least 28 civilians and left several others injured.
What are the facts?: The viral clip dates back to July 2020, when a three-year-old was spotted sitting on his grandfather's dead body in Sopore, Jammu and Kashmir. This makes the claim misleading.
How did we find that out?: On performing a keyword search using the words "child cries on top of dead body", we came across a news report published by Al Jazeera.
It said that an image of a three-year-old child sitting on his grandfather's dead body has sparked anger among people. The incident happened in J&K's Sopore town.
The deceased's family blamed the security forces of killing him during a gunfight. However, the police dismissed the allegations and said that a civilian vehicle was caught in a gun battle between security forces and militants.
The report was published on 2 July 2020.
(Source: AlJazeera/Screenshot)
Other sources: India Today, too, had shared visuals from the tragic incident on their official YouTube channel.
Its title said, "J-K: Image Of 3-Year-Old Boy Crying Over Body Of Grandfather Killed In Firing Sends Tremors."
The video was posted on 2 July 2020.
More on Pahalgam terror attack: A Deccan Herald report said that The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit said to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
A report published in The Economic Times carried statements from the daughter of one of the victims named Santosh Jagdale.
She detailed that her father was asked to come out by the terrorists from the tent they were cowering in and was reportedly asked to recite an Islamic verse. However, after Jagdale failed to recite it, he was shot.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam and expressed to condolences to the families. He further said that those behind the attacks will not be spared.
Some visuals of the distressed survivors of the deadly terror attack can be seen in this video by The Quint.
Conclusion: It is clear that the video is old and is being incorrectly linked to the recent Pahalgam attack.
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