WebQoof Recap: Of Communal Claims and Misinformation Surrounding Nepal Protests
Here are the viral pieces of misinformation that we debunked this week!
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From misinformation surround the recent, violent anti-corruption protests in Nepal to communal claims surrounding the recent Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, here's our recap of the top five pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.
1. Did Ex-Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli Never Visit India During His Term? Claim Is False
Shortly after former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned from his post amid violent protests, social media users shared posts claiming that he was the "first and only" Nepali prime minister who never visited India during his term.
However, the claim is false.
Oli has visited India twice — in 2016 and 2018 — while in office as prime minister, with a third visit being scheduled for September 2025.
Read our fact-check here.
2. Clip of Stone Pelting on Ganesh Idol in Karnataka Viral With False Communal Spin
A video showing people throwing stones while a Ganesh procession passes on the street in front of them went viral on social media with a communal claim.
Sharing a video of this incident, social media users claimed that the people pelting stones belonged to the Muslim community and were targeting Hindu devotees.
Team WebQoof found the claim to be false.
Several news reports identified the accused as Prashant and Praveen and said that the incident took place over "old enmity."
Local police told fact-checking organisation Factly that there was no religious angle to the incident, and that the two accused were targeting people, not the Ganesha idol.
You can read our fact-check here.
3. Old, False Claim About PM Modi Being Nobel Peace Prize Contender Resurfaces
Sharing a news report by Times Now, a section of social media users claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been named as a contender or a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025.
Those sharing this claim said that the Deputy Leader of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, Asle Toje, had made this statement.
This claim, too, is false.
Team WebQoof had debunked this claim when it first emerged in 2023 and found that Toje had made no such statement.
You can read our fact-check here.
4. No, This Video Doesn’t Show People Clashing With Police on Streets in Nepal
A video showing people clashing with police, who have shields and riot gear, is being shared on social media with the claim that it shows visuals from the recent anti-corruption protests in Nepal.
This claim is false. We found that the video dates back to August 2025 and is from Indonesia, where people have been protesting against the government.
Read our fact-check here.
5. No, Burkina Faso Prez Ibrahim Traoré Didn’t Announce $14 Bn Deal With India
Social media users shared a video, purportedly showing Burkina Faso's interim President Ibrahim Traoré talking about a "mega" grain deal the nation allegedly signed with India, worth $14 billion.
The video also talks about the West's tariffs and exploitation, saying that India has treated the West African nation with "trust" and "as equals."
However, this video is a deepfake.
Not only is there no evidence of India and Burkina Faso entering such a trade deal, several AI detector tools found the audio element to be fully AI-generated.
Read our 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.)