Fake News Alert: Sukhoi Shot Down In POK? Centre Fact-Checks Pak Propaganda

Pakistan-based social media handles are spreading fake news that an Indian fighter jet was shot down and its pilot was captured in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), the government has warned. The photo being used to support the claim shows a Sukhoi jet that had crashed in Maharashtra in 2014, the government said.

"Pakistani social media handles are claiming that a Sukhoi Su-30MKI was shot down in Muzaffarabad, capturing an Indian Pilot alive. This Sukhoi SU-30MKI of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed at Undre Vasti of Kulwadi village near Pune-Ahamad Nagar highway, Maharashtra on October 14, 2014. Do not share this post," said the fact-checking unit of the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

Pakistani handles falsely credited the info to NDTV. No such information was ever shared by the portal.

The government also shared a 2014 report showing the same photo. The caption confirms the photo is of a Sukhoi Su-30MKI that had crashed over a decade ago.

The PIB fact-checked another rumour this morning that claimed ATMs will stay shut in India for the next two-three days. Flagging it as false, the PIB said ATMs will continue to operate as usual and underlined the need for avoiding such unverified claims.

The digital space has been flooded with misinformation as Pakistan tries to control the narrative war after repeated setbacks in its offensives against India. The country's backing for terror regimes also stands exposed, with India sharing key evidence of how terror camps flourished in Pakistan.

The PIB has debunked several false claims being spread from Pakistan. At least eight viral videos and posts were fact-checked by the PIB between 10 pm on May 8 and 6:30 am on May 9.

These included a viral video of a drone attack in Punjab's Jalandhar, which was found to depict a farm fire and was recorded before any aerial activity. Another post claimed that an Army post held by "20 Raj Battalion" was destroyed by Pakistan. The Indian Army has no such unit, the government clarified.

The false claims included an old video of the 2020 Beirut explosion that some users claimed was Pakistan airstrikes, and rumours of a suicide attack on an Army brigade in Rajouri that was being shared with a misleading video.

The tensions between India and Pakistan escalated last month after Pakistan-backed terrorism massacred 26 civilians, including a Nepalese man and a Kashmiri pony ride operator, in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Follow live updates here

Retaliating hard, India began Operation Sindoor and struck terror camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). Pushed to the backfoot, Islamabad continued shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) and launched airstrikes at Indian military bases. The Indian Army gave a befitting reply and took down their projectiles.