Govt debunks claims of India attacking gurdwara in Pakistan

A security official stands guard on a road towards the airport in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. Pic: PTI

New Delhi: The government on Saturday debunked claims that India had launched a drone attack on the Nankana Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan.

The Fact Check Unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said such content is being circulated to create communal hatred in India.

"A video shared on social media is claiming that India has carried out a drone attack on the Nankana Sahib gurdwara. This claim is completely fake," it said.

Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak and the gurdwara is a revered shrine and pilgrimage centre for Sikhs.

The government also dismissed reports circulating on social media and some news platforms claiming that Pakistan has destroyed the Udhampur air base in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the base remains fully operational.

The clarification came after a video aired by a platform named "AIK News" claimed on live television that the strategic air base was destroyed by Pakistan.

"A video aired by 'AIK News' on live TV claimed that Pakistan had destroyed the Udhampur Air Base," the PIB Fact Check Unit said, adding, "Udhampur Air Base remains operational."

Other misinformation

The PIB Fact Check Unit also flagged what it described as a surge in coordinated disinformation campaigns aimed at India, largely propagated through Pakistani media and social media platforms, with some reach within Indian digital circles as well.

The PIB termed the misinformation drive a form of psychological warfare, intended to spread panic and confusion among Indian citizens.

The government also dismissed as "fake" certain social media posts claiming that an Indian pilot ejected from his fighter aircraft in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and that a woman air force pilot was captured in Pakistan.

It also debunked claims that India's power grid has been rendered dysfunctional in a cyberattack by Pakistan and that there was a temporary closure of the Mumbai-Delhi airline route.

"These claims are fake," the government said.

Airport closures

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has extended the temporary closure of 25 segments of Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes within the Delhi and Mumbai flight information regions due to operational reasons, it added.

The government also said an old video showing Indian soldiers crying was actually of youngsters from a private defence coaching centre celebrating their selection in the Army.

The PIB Fact Check Unit said the video in question was uploaded on Instagram on April 27 and was not related to the Army.

"The video depicts students from a private defence coaching institute celebrating their selection into the Indian Army. The youth in the video reportedly became emotional with joy upon receiving news of their successful recruitment," it said.

The government also debunked reports in a section of foreign media about 10 explosions around the Srinagar airport on Friday as well as separate claims of blasts near the Jaipur airport.

"These claims are fake. Rely only on official sources for authentic information," a government official said.

Two held for spreading fake videos

Ludhiana: The Ludhiana Commissionerate Police on Saturday detained two people for allegedly circulating fake videos on various social media platforms.

The videos caused unwarranted panic among the public, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Rupinder Singh, said.

He said that the Ludhiana Police's cyber cell received reports regarding the shared videos. Acting swiftly, they launched an investigation and detained the two accused. Singh said that the cyber cell is conducting an in-depth analysis of the suspects' social media profiles to uncover any additional violations or related activities. DCP Singh urged the public to refrain from creating, sharing, or promoting fake videos and other forms of misleading content on social media.