Does Kolkata Have a Sign of 'I Love Keoratola Mahasashan'? No, Image Is Edited
This is an edited picture; the original picture does not show any such sign.
Fact-check: Kolkata does not have a signboard of 'I Love Keoratola Mahasashan' outside a crematorium.
(Photo: Altered by The Quint)
An image showing a massive sign of 'I Love Keoratola Mahasashan' outside a building is going viral on social media, claiming it is placed outside a crematorium in Kolkata.
An archive can be seen here.
(Archives of similar claims can be seen here and here.)
We also received a query about this viral image on out WhatsApp tipline.
What's the truth?: This is an edited picture. No such sign about Keoratola Mahasashan has been installed near the crematorium in Kolkata.
How did we find out?: We performed a reverse image search on the viral image and came across the original photo uploaded on Wikipedia Commons.
The image dates back to 14 October 2011 and shows Keoratala Burning Ghat or crematorium in Kolkata.
The original image did not show any signboard of 'I love Keoratola Mahasashan' at the entrance.
We compared the viral image with the original image and noticed several similarities.
The original photo does not show any sign board.
The Times of India also used the original image for an article shared in 2019.
The report was about Kolkata Municipal Corporation's (KMC) decision to pay priests who work at the seven KMC-run crematoriums.
The article was shared on 22 May 2019.
Reports about West Bengal CM addressing the fake image: We found a report by Hindustan Times Bangla shared on 10 April.
The article stated that after inaugurating the ambulance from Navanna, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressed the viral image.
She said that the image linked to Keoratala crematorium going viral on social media is fake.
"Fake news won't be tolerated. Can anyone love cremation? The crematorium is the last place. A heartbreaking place. Shame on those who spread such pictures?," she added.
We have reached out to the photographer of the original image, and the story would be updated once we receive a response.
Conclusion: An edited picture showing a sign of ''I love Keoratola Mahasashan' in Kolkata is going viral.
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