Government Debunks Fake News on Alleged Attacks

The government has refuted social media claims of a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir and a drone attack in Punjab as fake news. The Press Information Bureau's Fact Check Unit found these claims to be misleading, pointing out instances of misinformation circulated to incite public fear.

The government has officially dismissed claims circulating on social media regarding a suicide attack on an Army brigade in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and a drone strike in Punjab's Jalandhar. These claims were labeled as 'fake news' according to a statement released on Friday.

Investigations by the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check Unit revealed no evidence of a 'fidayeen' attack on any Army cantonment. Additionally, a video purportedly showing a drone attack in Jalandhar was identified as footage from a farm fire.

Further reviews uncovered that an alleged video of a missile attack from Pakistan was from an explosion in Beirut, Lebanon in 2020. The PIB Fact Check Unit clarified that an old video of an oil tanker explosion was misrepresented as an attack on Gujarat's Hazira Port. This misinformation coincided with heightened tensions as India countered Pakistan's attempt to target military sites.

(With inputs from agencies.)