
Fake News Alert! India rejects 'fidayeen attack' reports on Army brigade in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir
"#Fake_news is circulating about a "fidayeen" attack on an Army brigade in #Rajouri, #Jammu and #Kashmir… No such #fidayeen or suicide attack has occurred on any army cantt," the PIB Fact Check Unit said in a post on X.
It also advised social media users to not believe 'propaganda being spread by Pakistani handles' and instead rely only on official information.
Pakistan on Thursday evening attempted to target Jammu airport, prompting total blackout in Jammu and several other cities in northern India, an ANI report said.
In another post, PIB's Fact Check Unit released a WhatsApp number and an email id for social media users to report dubious content concerning the Indian Armed Forces.
'In the coming days your social media will be flooded with #Pakistan sponsored propaganda. It's crucial to scrutinize every piece of information carefully. If you encounter dubious content, especially concerning the Indian Armed Forces or any info related to ongoing situation, report it to #PIBFactCheck,' PIB wrote.
Users shared a video claiming to be of Pakistan's missile attack on India in retaliation to Operation Sindoor. The video however is of the explosion that took place in Beirut in 2020.
The unit, in a post on X shared, 'An #old video is being shared on #SocialMedia with the claim that #Pakistan has launched a missile attack on India in retaliation… The video being shared is of the explosive attack that took place in Beirut, Lebanon in the year 2020…'
Social media posts claiming that entry to airports across India has been banned as completely false. The government has taken no such decision, it said.
The PIB has also junked a letter being shared on social media claiming that 'Chief of the Army Staff General VK Narayan' has sent a confidential letter regarding military preparedness to the Army officer of Northern Command.
'This letter is completely Fake. Gen. V.K. Narayan is not CoAS. Avoid sharing unverified information and rely only on official sources from the Government of India for accurate information,' the PIB post said.
A social media post claiming that the Indian military used Ambala Airbase to attack Amritsar and its own citizens is also fake, PIB said. India targetting the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project in Pakistan is fake news as well.
'This claim is baseless. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has clearly stated in a press conference that India has only targeted terrorist infrastructure,' the PIB added.
'Pakistan-based handles are circulating a video claiming that the Pakistan Army strikes posts in Battal Sector, Jammu & Kashmir, eliminating at least 12 Indian soldiers,' another PIB post on X said.
'This video is old and NOT related to any activity post #OperationSindoor… This image is from August 2011… It has also been used in a news report from 2016…' the post added.
A video alleging that an Indian Post was destroyed by the Pakistani Army has also been junked by the PIB Fact Check Unit.
"Fake video is being circulated by Pakistani handles alleging that an Indian Post was destroyed by the #Pakistani Army… The claim is completely false, and the video is staged… There is no unit called '20 Raj Battalion" in the #IndianArmy… This is part of a coordinated propaganda campaign aimed at creating panic and misleading the public," PIB's post on X said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The Wire
6 minutes ago
- The Wire
‘India's Richest Families' Guilty of ‘Profiteering' From Russian Oil: US Treasury Secretary
New Delhi: 'Some of India's richest families' are involved in the country's 'unacceptable' 'profiteering' from buying and reselling Russian crude, a Trump cabinet official said on Tuesday (August 19), indicating no let up in the US's stance against New Delhi's continued purchases of oil from Moscow. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent's remarks also came a day after senior White House trade adviser and economist Peter Navarro wrote in a newspaper column that the proceeds from India's purchases of Russian oil – which he said are unbecoming of an American strategic partner – 'flow to India's politically connected energy titans, and in turn, into Vladimir Putin's war chest'. Recalling in an interview to CNBC that Russian crude went from constituting less than 1% of Indian oil imports just before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine to around 40% today, Bessent said that India 'is just profiteering'. 'So India is just profiteering … they're reselling, they've made $16 billion in excess profits, some of the richest families in India,' said Bessent, whose role is roughly equivalent to that of finance minister. India's 'arbitrage' in 'buying cheap Russian oil' and 'reselling it as [a] product has just sprung up during the war, which is unacceptable', he continued. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced a 25% 'penalty' tariff on India – on top of an existing 25% 'reciprocal' levy – in response to its sustained purchases of Russian oil despite Moscow's continued aggression against Ukraine. New Delhi termed the penalty, which is scheduled to take effect on August 27, 'extremely unfortunate', saying it was being singled out 'for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest'. When asked in the CNBC interview if China – which is the biggest importer of Russian oil ahead of India but does not face a penalty for its purchases – was not also in the wrong, Bessent said that what Beijing is doing is a 'completely different thing'. 'Well, let's go back and look at the history though … China importing is suboptimal. If you go back and look pre-'22, pre-invasion, 13% of China's oil was already coming from Russia. Now it's 16%. So China has diversified input of their oil,' he said. The treasury secretary's remarks lambasting the 'richest families in India' – Mukesh Ambani's Reliance along with the Russian-owned Nayara are the the largest buyers of Russian oil in India – come a day after Navarro wrote that the surge in India's imports of Moscow's crude 'has not been driven by domestic oil consumption needs' but by 'profiteering by India's Big Oil lobby'. Ambani had also met Trump ahead of his inauguration in January as well as at a state dinner organised for the president in Qatar by its Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. 'The refiners buy oil at a steep discount, process it and then export refined fuels to Europe, Africa and Asia – all the while shielding India from sanctions scrutiny under the pretence of neutrality … The proceeds flow to India's politically connected energy titans, and in turn, into Vladimir Putin's war chest,' he wrote in an op-ed in the Financial Times. Going on to call India's reliance on Russian oil 'opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the world's efforts to isolate Putin's war economy', Navarro declared that if India 'wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one'. New Delhi, which maintains that its purchases of oil are guided by market considerations, said upon Trump's announcing his intention to ratchet up tariffs against India for its purchases of Russian crude that after the Ukraine war began, the US 'actively encouraged such imports by India for strengthening global energy markets' stability'. When Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska to discuss an end to the conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs said it 'appreciates the progress made' in the two leaders' summit.


Time of India
20 minutes ago
- Time of India
Arrested drug kingpin reveals cross-border link
Ludhiana: City police have unearthed a jail connection facilitating the drug business and weapon supply of notorious criminal, Mukul Mattu, a resident of Mohalla Fatehgarh, from whom about 1kg heroin, a 9mm Glock pistol, and two country-made pistols, along with 21 live cartridges were seized. Investigation revealed that Mattu procured both the heroin and Glock pistol from Ashu, who is currently lodged in Faridkot jail. One of the country-made pistols recovered from him was brought through a Ludhiana jail inmate, Vikramjit Singh. According to Mattu, Ashu smuggled the heroin and pistol from Pakistan. City police have nominated both Ashu and Vikramjit in the case and will bring them on production warrant for questioning soon. Mukul Mattu was wanted by the police for threatening Dharampura resident Deepak for giving information on drug peddlers at the Safe Punjab helpline. The said drug peddlers contacted Mattu, who is involved in drug smuggling himself. On August 12, Mattu and his aides turned up outside Deepak's house and brandished a gun to threaten him and his family. Police lodged an FIR in the case and arrested Mattu, who is facing about eight FIRs. Ludhiana crime branch in-charge, inspector Beant Juneja said, "During interrogation, Mukul revealed that in 2022-23, he was lodged in Ludhiana Central Jail, where Ashu was also lodged. He said that Ashu, who he became friends with, has links with cross-border smugglers. It was Ashu who delivered the 1kg heroin and 9mm Glock pistol with 7 cartridges, which police recovered, to him. Ashu is currently lodged in Faridkot Jail. He has been nominated in the FIR and will be brought on a production warrant for questioning." The official added that the Glock pistol recovered from Mukul is made in Austria. "Mukul confessed that he also brought the two .30 bore pistols recovered from him through a Ludhiana jail inmate named Vikramjit Singh," inspector Juneja added. Another senior official shared, "During interrogation, Mukul claimed that Faridkot jail inmate Ashu has links with cross-border smugglers. He said that Pakistan-based smugglers gifted a Glock pistol to Ashu for purchase of 1kg heroin. Mukul paid Ashu Rs 2.7 lakh for the Glock pistol. He paid about Rs 15 lakh for 1kg of heroin. Ashu sent his aide to Ludhiana to deliver the consignment about one and a half months ago. Police will verify Mukul's claims once Ashu comes on production warrant. " The criminal nexus Seizure details --1kg heroin, a 9mm Glock pistol (made in Austria), 2 country-made pistols, and 21 live cartridges recovered from Mukul Mattu Jail connection --Ashu, lodged in Faridkot Jail, allegedly smuggled the heroin and Glock pistol from Pakistan --Vikramjit Singh, an inmate in Ludhiana Jail, helped supply one of the country-made pistols Cross-border smuggling --Mukul claimed Ashu has links with Pakistan-based smugglers --The Glock pistol was allegedly gifted by Pakistani smugglers to Ashu for heroin trade Financial transactions --Mukul paid Rs 2.7 lakh for the Glock pistol and Rs 15 lakh for 1kg heroin Threat Case Mukul threatened Deepak, a resident of Dharampura, for reporting drug peddlers via the Safe Punjab helpline. MSID:: 123387969 413 | Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.


NDTV
36 minutes ago
- NDTV
Punjab Police Arrest 2 More Operatives Of Babbar Khalsa Terror Module
Chandigarh: Days after busting Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module, Counter Intelligence Jalandhar has arrested two more operatives of the same module and recovered one 86P hand-grenade from their possession, Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav has said. Those arrested have been identified as Vishavjit and Jackson, both residents of Shankar in Nakodar, an official release said. As per the information, Punjab Police had arrested five operatives, including Ritik Naroliya and Sonu Kumar alias Kali, and three juveniles, of the BKI module for their involvement in the Nawanshahr Grenade Attack and recovered one 86P hand-grenade and one .30 bore pistol from their possession. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that acting swiftly on forward and backwards linkages, CI Jalandhar recovered one 86P Hand Grenade following the arrest of two BKI operatives, Ritik Naroliya and a juvenile from Rajasthan, a few days back. The accused's disclosures led to the arrest of their aides, Vishavjit from Kolkata-- while he was trying to abscond to Malaysia-- and his accomplice Jackson was arrested from Nakodar, which led to the recovery of the said hand grenade, he said. The DGP stated that all the arrested accused persons were acting under the direction of Canada-based BKI masterminds Zeeshan Akhtar and Ajay Gill. Sharing more details, AIG CI Navjot Singh Mahal said that preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused Vishavjit and Jackson had retrieved two hand grenades from Beas through their associates in the last week of July this year. Of which, one grenade was exploded in a liquor shop in SBS Nagar 10 days back by other members of this module, he said. The AIG stated that further investigations are ongoing in this case, and more arrests are likely in the coming days. A case FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, he added. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)