No death during July 20 protests: Delhi Police warns against fake info related to Jantar Mantar protest
New Delhi, July 25
Delhi Police on Saturday warned against the spread of fake narratives and incorrect news through social media during the ongoing student protests.
In a briefing in the national capital, amid the ongoing student protest on the NEET paper leak, DCP Central Rohit Rajbir Singh said that on social media, especially Instagram, a lot of fake posts are being spread.
"A protest has been going on at Jantar Mantar for the past several weeks by the Cockroach Janata Party. Information on social media goes viral very quickly, but not every post, video, or photo is necessarily accurate. It is extremely important to fact-check any information before trusting it or sharing it further. The Delhi Police is also continuously monitoring social media," the DCP said.
"We are continuously sharing information on fake news, AI and deepfake videos, edited clips, and misleading posts through our social media handles so that people can differentiate between true and false information."
The official said that the news of the death of a protester on July 20 is false. "Delhi Police has debunked the claim made in a social media post that there was a death during the protest on July 20. During the protest, there was no death of anybody," he said.
"It is hereby informed that the woman is alive and is currently admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. The attending doctors have confirmed that her condition is stable and that she is out of danger," said the notice issued by Delhi Police had posted on X previously.
DCP Singh said that the Delhi Police had also taken to social media to debunk the social media posting as fake.
Further, he said, "Our investigation also revealed that some social media accounts operated from Pakistan are spreading fake content. Delhi Police, in collaboration with the concerned agencies, is continuously working to identify more such accounts. More than 400 such handles have been identified so far and blocked for spreading AI-generated content, deepfake videos, edited photos and other false content related to the protests," the police official said.
"Some such handles were also found active in spreading fake information during Operation Sindoor. These social media accounts tried to mislead people by editing official statements of several senior officers and manipulating visual content" he added.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police strengthened security around Jantar Mantar by installing additional barricades.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The fact that they found 400+ social media accounts from Pakistan spreading fake content is alarming. But we also need to question why our own people are so quick to believe and share such things without verification. Digital literacy is the need of the hour! 📱
While I appreciate the police clarifying the death rumor, I'm disturbed by the phrase "Cockroach Janata Party" used by the DCP. That's highly unprofessional language from a senior officer. Students have a right to protest peacefully, and name-calling doesn't help. 😡
Good to know the woman is safe in RML Hospital. But isn't it ironic that the police are fact-checking fake news while the protest itself is about a massive exam paper leak that affected lakhs of students? Let's not lose sight of the real issue - the NEET scam! 🎯
Finally some action against cross-border disinformation! But 400 accounts is just the tip of the iceberg. These bots are active on every major issue. We need stronger cyber laws and public awareness campaigns about how to spot fake content. Sabko sikshaa deni hogi! 🇮🇳
I'm a student who barely passed NEET last year. The paper leak has destroyed the dreams of so many honest kids. Police should investigate the leak itself more deeply instead of just blocking social media posts. Aur ye 'Cockroach' wala comment toh bilkul galat hai! 😤
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