WebQoof Recap: Of Claims Surrounding Assam Floods, Jharkhand Protests & More

Read our recap to find the viral pieces of fake news we fact-checked this week!

From AI-generated visuals claiming to show Assam floods to fake claims surrounding the Jharkhand protests, here are five of the most viral pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.

(Photo: Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

From AI-generated visuals claiming to show Assam floods to fake claims surrounding the Jharkhand protests, here are five of the most viral pieces of misinformation we debunked this week.

1. AI-Generated Video of a Rescue Operation Amid Assam Floods Shared as Real

A video is being shared on the internet, claiming to show a rescue operation amid Assam floods. The video shows a rescue operation being carried out with a helicopter to save people trapped on top of a train amid floods.

An archived version of this claim can be found here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, the video is AI-generated and does not show an authentic clip of the Assam floods.

Read our fact-check here.

2. Old, Unrelated Videos Falsely Linked to JPSC, JSSC Protests in Jharkhand

Social media users are sharing videos of Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and a drone shot of a large crowd, claiming to show visuals of the ongoing protests related to the repeated irregularities with the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) exams.

Dipke's video is being shared to claim that he showed support for the protesters by showing up in Ranchi, and the video of the crowd claims to show protesters in the city.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, two of the videos are old and show videos of the CJP-led protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.

Read our fact-check here.

3. Unrelated Video Falsely Shared as One of Public Assault on Kangana Ranaut

A video showing a woman dressed in a white saree being dragged out of a car by her hair, with people pulling at her and assaulting her, is being shared on social media.

The video is being shared to claim that the woman is Kangana Ranaut, actor and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency in Himachal Pradesh.

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: Instagram/Screenshot)

However, the claim is false. The video shows Trinamool Congress (TMC) member Pranayita Das being surrounded, heckled, and assaulted by locals in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.

Read our fact-check here.

4. Old Video Falsely Shared as Indian Army Destroying Minorities’ Homes in Manipur

A video showing a multi-storeyed building collapsing to the ground is being shared on social media, where users are sharing it as visuals from Manipur.

One X user shared the clip with the text, "This is Manipur, not Palestine. Indian Army is destroying Minority houses in Manipur."

An archived version of this post can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

However, the claim is misleading. The video dates back to May 2023, when a house in Manipur's Churachandpur was destroyed during the widespread ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities in the state.

Read our fact-check here.

5. Scam Alert: Fake WhatsApp Tax Notices Send Users Malware During ITR Season

In a new form of scam, scammers are tricking taxpayers during the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing season by using fake government documents, duplicate e-filing websites, and viruses to steal banking passwords and hack into phones and computers.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

By using the official Government of India logo, legal sections, and strict deadlines, these scammers scare people into taking quick action without cross-verifying the contents or validity of the message they receive.

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 [e-mail] and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)