#FactCheck - False Claim about Video of Sadhu Lying in Fire at Mahakumbh 2025
Executive Summary:
Recently, our team came across a video on social media that appears to show a saint lying in a fire during the Mahakumbh 2025. The video has been widely viewed and comes with captions claiming that it is part of a ritual during the ongoing Mahakumbh 2025. After thorough research, we found that these claims are false. The video is unrelated to Mahakumbh 2025 and comes from a different context and location. This is an example of how the information posted was from the past and not relevant to the alleged context.
Claim:
A video has gone viral on social media, claiming to show a saint lying in fire during Mahakumbh 2025, suggesting that this act is part of the traditional rituals associated with the ongoing festival. This misleading claim falsely implies that the act is a standard part of the sacred ceremonies held during the Mahakumbh event.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the post we conducted a reverse image search of the key frames extracted from the video, and traced the video to an old article. Further research revealed that the original post was from 2009, when Ramababu Swamiji, aged 80, laid down on a burning fire for the benefit of society. The video is not recent, as it had already gone viral on social media in November 2009. A closer examination of the scene, crowd, and visuals clearly shows that the video is unrelated to the rituals or context of Mahakumbh 2025. Additionally, our research found that such activities are not part of the Mahakumbh rituals. Reputable sources were also kept into consideration to cross-verify this information, effectively debunking the claim and emphasizing the importance of verifying facts before believing in anything.
For more clarity, the YouTube video attached below further clears the doubt, which reminds us to verify whether such claims are true or not.
Conclusion:
The viral video claiming to depict a saint lying in fire during Mahakumbh 2025 is entirely misleading. Our thorough fact-checking reveals that the video dates back to 2009 and is unrelated to the current event. Such misinformation highlights the importance of verifying content before sharing or believing it. Always rely on credible sources to ensure the accuracy of claims, especially during significant cultural or religious events like Mahakumbh.
- Claim: A viral video claims to show a saint lying in fire during the Mahakumbh 2025.
- Claimed On: X (Formerly Known As Twitter)
- Fact Check: False and Misleading
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Disclaimer:
The information is based on claims made by threat actors and does not imply confirmation of the breach, by CyberPeace. CyberPeace includes this detail solely to provide factual transparency and does not condone any unlawful activities. This information is shared only for research purposes and to spread awareness. CyberPeace encourages individuals and organizations to adopt proactive cybersecurity measures to protect against potential threats.
🚨 Data Breach Alert ⚠️:
Recently The Research Wing of CyberPeace and Autobot Infosec have come across a claim on a threat actor’s dark web website alleging a data breach involving 637k+ records from Federal Bank. According to the threat actor’s claim, the data allegedly includes sensitive details such as-
- 🧑Customer Name
- 🆔Customer ID
- 🏠 Customer Address
- 🎂 Date of Birth
- 🔢 Age
- 🚻 Gender
- 📞Mobile Number
- 🪪 PAN Number
- 🚘 Driving License Number
- 🛂 Passport Number
- 🔑 UID Number
- 🗳️ Voter ID Information
The alleged data was initially discovered on a dark web website, where the threat actors allegedly claimed to be offering the breached information for sale. Following their announcement of the breach, a portion of the data was reportedly published on December 27, 2024. A few days later, the full dataset was allegedly released on the same forum.
About the Threat Actor Group:
Bashe, a ransomware group that emerged in 2024, is claimed to have evolved from the LockBit ransomware group, previously operating under the names APT73 and Eraleig. The group employs data encryption combined with extortion tactics, threatening to release sensitive information if ransom demands are unmet. Their operations primarily target critical industries, including technology, healthcare, and finance, demonstrating a strategic focus on high-value sectors.
Breakdown of the Alleged Post by the Threat Actor:
- Target: Allegedly involves Customer’s Data of Federal Bank.
- Data Volume: Claimed breach includes 637,894 records.
- Data Fields: Threat actor claims the data contains sensitive information, including Customer name, Customer ID, Date of Birth, PAN Number, Age, Gender, Father Name, Spouse Name, Driving Licence, Passport Number, UID Number, Voter ID, District, Zip Code, Home Address, Mailing Address, State etc.
Analysis:
The analysis of the alleged data breach highlights the states purportedly most impacted, along with insights into the affected age groups, gender distribution, and other key insights associated with the compromised data. This evaluation aims to provide a clearer understanding of the claimed breach's scope and its potential demographic and geographic impact.
Top States Impacted:
As per the alleged breached data, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of affected customers, accounting for a significant 34.49% of the total breach. Karnataka follows closely with 26.89%, indicating a substantial number of individuals affected in the state. In contrast states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan report minimal impact, with each state having less than 1% of affected customers. Gujarat records 3.70% of the breach, with a sharp drop in affected numbers from other states, highlighting a significant disparity in the extent of the breach across regions.
Impacted Age Range Statistics:
The alleged data breach has predominantly impacted customers in the 31-40 years age group, which constitutes the largest segment at 35.80% of the affected individuals. Following this, the 21-30 years age group also shows significant impact, comprising 27.72% of those affected. The 41-50 years age group accounts for 20.55% of the impacted population, while individuals aged 50 and above represent 12.68%. In contrast, the 0-20 years age group is the least affected, with only 3.24% of customers falling into this category.
Gender Wise Statistics:
The alleged data breach has predominantly impacted male customers, who constitute the majority at 74.05% of the affected individuals. Female customers account for 23.18%, while a smaller segment, categorized as "Others," constitutes 2.77%.
The alleged dataset from the threat actors indicated that a significant portion of customers' personal identification data was compromised. This includes sensitive information such as driving licenses, passport numbers, UID numbers, voter IDs, and PAN numbers.
Significance of the Allegations:
Though the claims have not been independently verified at our end it underscores the rising risks of cyberattacks and data breaches, especially in the financial and banking sectors. If true, the exposure of such sensitive information could lead to financial fraud, identity theft, and severe reputational damage for individuals and organizations alike.
CyberPeace Advisory:
CyberPeace emphasizes the importance of vigilance and proactive measures to address cybersecurity risks:
- Monitor Your Accounts: Keep a close eye on financial and email accounts for any suspicious activity.
- Update Passwords: Change your passwords immediately and enable Multi Factor Authentication(MFA) wherever possible.
- Beware of Phishing Attacks: Threat actors may exploit the leaked data to craft targeted phishing scams. Do not click on unsolicited links or share sensitive details over email or phone.
- For Organizations: Strengthen data protection mechanisms, regularly audit security infrastructure, and respond swiftly to emerging threats.
- Report: For more assistance or to report cyber incidents, visit https://cybercrime.gov.in or contact our helpline team at helpline@cyberpeace.net.
We advise affected parties and the broader public to stay alert and take necessary precautions. CyberPeace remains committed to raising awareness about cybersecurity threats and advocating for better protection mechanisms. We urge all stakeholders to investigate the claims and ensure appropriate steps are taken to protect the impacted data, if the breach is confirmed. Our Research Wing is actively observing the situation and we aim to collaborate with the stakeholders and relevant agencies to mitigate the impact.
Stay Vigilant! Stay CyberPeaceful.
Introduction
Since February 2020 the government has been taking keen steps to safeguard the Indian markets and the consumer, this could be seen in the forms of policies and exemptions for the market players and the consumers, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the markets places became vulnerable to loss and various forms of new crimes and frauds. The Government recently tabled the Jan Vishwas bill which is an aftermath of the Vivad se Vishwas Bill, 2020 which was tabled in February 2020 for creating a safe and dynamic market, this bill is a clear example of how AtmaNirbhar Bharat plays a crucial role in nations development.
What is Jan Vishwas Bill, 2022
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2022 is a 108-page bill introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. The statement of objects and reasons of the Bill states, “To amend certain enactments for decriminalizing and rationalizing minor offenses to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business.” The bill aims to promote ease of doing business in India by decriminalizing minor offences and amending 183 provisions in 42 Acts administered by 19 ministries. The bill proposes to replace minor offences with monetary penalties and rationalize existing monetary penalties based on the gravity of the offences. The Acts to be amended by the bill include-
- Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940
- Public Debt Act, 1944
- Pharmacy Act, 1948
- Cinematograph Act, 1952
- Copyright Act, 1957
- Patents Act, 1970
- Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
- Trade Marks Act, 1999l Railways Act, 1989
- Information Technology Act, 2000
- Prevention of Money-laundering Act, 2002
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
- Legal Metrology Act, 2009
- Factoring Regulation Act, 2011
The bill aims to decriminalize a large number of minor offences and replace them with monetary penalties. This step by the government is a clear indication of how important the market regulations are, in recent times Google was imposed with a penalty of 1300 crores and 900 crores for violating competitive market practices, these penalties, and criminalised actions will ensure proper compliance to laws of the land thus creating a blanket of safeguards for the Indian consumer and netizen.
What will the Ease of Business be?
The Government has been critical in pinpointing various parameters and factors to improve the ease of business in the country, this bill comes at the right time when we can see numerous start-ups and entrepreneurs emerging in our country. The parameters are as follows-
- Starting a Business of all
- Dealing with Construction Permits
- Getting Electricity
- Registering Property
- Getting Credit
- Protecting
- Minority Investors
- Paying Taxes
- Trading across Borders
- Enforcing Contracts and Resolving Insolvency
These parameters have been created with a sight on the future of the markets and how external factors like the Russia-Ukraine war can influence the markets. According to Minister Piyush Goyal, the fear of imprisonment for minor offences is a major factor hindering the growth of the business ecosystem and individual confidence in India. The Jan Vishwas Bill, 2022 aims to address this issue by replacing minor offences with monetary penalties. The bill also proposes an increase of 10% in the minimum amount of fine and penalty levied after every three years, once the bill becomes a law.
Conclusion
The bill will create a level playing field for the market players and the consumers with the backing of strong legislation and precedents thus maintaining transparency and accountability in the system. The amended provisions will allow various already existing legislation to come in tune with the current times and emerging technologies. The nation is at a critical juncture to fabricate policies and laws to address the issues and threats of the future and hence such a bill will be the strengthening pillar of the Indian markets and cyber-ecosystem. The Jan Vishwas Bill, 2022 has been referred to a 31-member joint parliamentary committee for scrutiny. The committee includes members from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and will submit its report to parliament by the second part of the Budget session in 2023, The members from the Lok Sabha include PP Chaudhary, Sanjay Jaiswal, Queen Ojha, Rajendra Agrawal, Gaurav Gogoi, A Raja, Rajendra Agarwal, Poonam Pramod Mahajan, and Sougata Ray.
Executive Summary:
A video of Pakistani Olympic gold medalist and Javelin player Arshad Nadeem wishing Independence Day to the People of Pakistan, with claims of snoring audio in the background is getting viral. CyberPeace Research Team found that the viral video is digitally edited by adding the snoring sound in the background. The original video published on Arshad's Instagram account has no snoring sound where we are certain that the viral claim is false and misleading.
Claims:
A video of Pakistani Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem wishing Independence Day with snoring audio in the background.
Fact Check:
Upon receiving the posts, we thoroughly checked the video, we then analyzed the video in TrueMedia, an AI Video detection tool, and found little evidence of manipulation in the voice and also in face.
We then checked the social media accounts of Arshad Nadeem, we found the video uploaded on his Instagram Account on 14th August 2024. In that video, we couldn’t hear any snoring sound.
Hence, we are certain that the claims in the viral video are fake and misleading.
Conclusion:
The viral video of Arshad Nadeem with a snoring sound in the background is false. CyberPeace Research Team confirms the sound was digitally added, as the original video on his Instagram account has no snoring sound, making the viral claim misleading.
- Claim: A snoring sound can be heard in the background of Arshad Nadeem's video wishing Independence Day to the people of Pakistan.
- Claimed on: X,
- Fact Check: Fake & Misleading
