WebQoof Recap: Of Misinformation Around ‘Vote Theft’ & Landslide in HP
Here are the viral pieces of misinformation that we debunked this week!
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From false claims about the recent voter manipulation assertions made by several opposition parties, India-Pakistan tensions, to unrelated images viral as one from the Dharmasthala controversy and landslides in Himachal Pradesh, here are some viral pieces of fake news that we debunked this week.
1. List of 50 Varanasi Voters With Same Father’s Name Viral With Missing Context
A viral screenshot of the electoral roll from Varanasi’s Bhelupur area, showing 50 voters of varying ages all listed with “Ramkamal Das” as their father, is being circulated online following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of Election Commission complicity in “vote theft,” with claims that it exposes bogus or fraudulent voters in the constituency.
However, the claim is misleading as it lacks important context.
We found that individuals who named Ramkamal Das as their father are students at a monastery or ashram, where it is customary to use their guru's name instead of their biological father's name.
Read the full story here.
2. Does This Video Show a RJD MLA Faking an Interview in Bihar? No, It’s Scripted!
A video of a reporter conducting an interview of a man in a waterlogged road, which was later revealed to be a pool, is going viral on social media platforms as a real incident.
Those sharing the clip have uploaded it with a caption that said, "RJD MLA in flood affected Bihar nearly played with his life to save flood affected..."
However, the claim is false as the video is scripted. The video was originally shared by an Instagram page named 'dalalcomedians' that regularly posts such scripted content.
Read the full story here.
3. Old Image from France Showing Mass Burial Viral as One From Dharmasthala
During the ongoing probe in Karnataka’s Dharmasthala village over allegations of mass burials of women and minors, an image of multiple skeletons being excavated has gone viral, with claims it was taken at one of the sites and linked to journalist Gauri Lankesh’s 2001 reporting on the case, which some allege led to her 2017 murder.
However, the claim is false. We were able to trace this photo back to reports from 2021 which showed an excavation of soldiers from the 15th century involved in a battle in France.
We did not find any links showing Lankesh's involvement or reportage about the Dharmasthala site.
Read our fact-check here.
4. Did Indian Navy Chief Say 'We Will Complain to US’ if Pakistan Attacks? No!
A video showing the Indian Navy's Director General of Naval Operations (DGNO) AN Pramod speaking at a press conference is being shared on social media.
The video is being shared to claim that the DGNO said, "This time if Pakistan dare take any action and Pakistan knows it, what we are going to do. We will complain against Pakistan to the United States of America and President Donald Trump like we did earlier in Operation Sindoor (sic)."
However, the video has been altered using artificial intelligence (AI). The clip is taken from a press conference on 11 May, when DGNO AN Pramod answered a media query about the Navy targeting Pakistan.
Read the full story here.
5. This Video Doesn’t Show Bus Escaping Landslide in Himachal Pradesh
A video showing a bus navigating a narrow route amidst a landslide is being shared on social media, with claims that it captures a recent event in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh.
However, the video dates back to May 2024 and shows a truck narrowly escaping a landslide in Indonesia's Padang City.
Read the fact-check here.
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9540511818 , or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)