#FactCheck - Old Ajman Fire Video Falsely Linked to Iran Drone Attack on Dubai Airport
Executive Summary:
The ongoing conflict between Iran and the US-Israel has entered its 19th day. Meanwhile, a video is being widely shared on social media claiming that Iran is carrying out continuous drone attacks at Dubai International Airport. The clip shows visuals of massive fire and explosion However, research by the CyberPeace has found the claim to be misleading. Our research revealed that the video has been available on the internet since 2020. In reality, the footage shows a fire at a market in Ajman, UAE, and not explosions at Dubai Airport in 2026. Although there were recent reports of a fire near DXB (Dubai Airport) following a drone attack, this video is not related to that incident.
Claim:
On social media platform X (formerly Twitter), a user shared the viral video on March 17, 2026, writing:
“Dubai International Airport – Iran is dropping drones continuously.”
Post link, archive link, and screenshot are given below:
Fact Check:
To verify the viral claim, we extracted keyframes from the video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the research, we found the same video on a YouTube channel, where it was uploaded on August 6, 2020. The caption read: “Ajman fruits and vegetables market caught in fire.”
Based on this clue, it became clear that the viral video has no connection with the ongoing Iran-US-Israel conflict. In the next step, we searched using relevant keywords and found a report published on August 5, 2020, on the website of Gulf News, which contained visuals similar to the viral video.
According to the Gulf News report, a major fire broke out at a public market in the new industrial area of Ajman at around 6:30 pm. The blaze was later brought under control by Ajman Civil Defence with assistance from teams in Dubai, Sharjah, and Umm Al Quwain.
Conclusion:
Our research found that the viral video has been online since 2020 and shows a fire at a market in Ajman, UAE. It is not related to any recent incident at Dubai Airport.
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Executive Summary
Amid reports of attacks on ships in the Gulf of Oman that led to the death of three Indian nationals, a video showing a person lying injured on a ship is being widely circulated on social media. The clip is being shared with the claim that the United States sent the body of a deceased Indian sailor to India in a “wrapped” condition. CyberPeace Research Wing research found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is unrelated to any recent incident involving Indian nationals and is, in fact, from a mock drill conducted on board a ship.
Claim:
An Instagram user ‘fakirchand.sharma’ shared the video on June 15, 2026, claiming that an Indian sailor, identified as Nishant Urthnathan, died due to health complications on a vessel anchored at Duqm port, Oman. The post further alleged that the United States returned the body in a “wrapped” condition, sparking outrage on social media. https://www.instagram.com/fakirchand.sharma/reel/DZlsxj9TIaS , https://perma.cc/C9SF-J8ZR
Fact Check:
A reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video led to an Instagram account ‘bipul_raja_vlogs’, where the same video was posted on June 10, 2026. The original caption clearly stated that the visuals were from a fire drill conducted on board a ship. https://www.instagram.com/p/DZbnZlGPAlL
Further posts from the same account on June 15 and June 17, 2026, also show similar mock drill visuals and clarify that the content is being misused online. The account features multiple posts related to routine ship operations and training exercises. https://www.instagram.com/p/DZnEXOzCc2X
The profile also contains several other photos and videos of crew members working on the ship. We also checked the YouTube channel linked in this profile, “Sunnybabu,” where a mock drill video was uploaded on January 21, 2026. https://www.instagram.com/bipul_raja_vlogs
Conclusion:
The research confirms that the viral video is unrelated to the death of any Indian sailor in the Gulf of Oman. The clip actually shows a mock drill conducted on a ship and is being falsely shared with a misleading narrative.
Executive Summary:
A viral clip where the Indian batsman Virat Kohli is shown endorsing an online casino and declaring a Rs 50,000 jackpot in three days as a guarantee has been proved a fake. In the clip that is accompanied by manipulated captions, Kohli is said to have admitted to being involved in the launch of an online casino during the interview with Graham Bensinger but this is not true. Nevertheless, an investigation showed that the original interview, which was published on YouTube in the last quarter of 2023 by Bensinger, did not have the mentioned words spoken by Kohli. Besides, another AI deepfake analysis tool called Deepware labelled the viral video as a deepfake.
Claims:
The viral video states that cricket star Virat Kohli gets involved in the promotion of an online casino and ensures that the users of the site can make a profit of Rs 50,000 within three days. Conversely, the CyberPeace Research Team has just revealed that the video is a deepfake and not the original and there is no credible evidence suggesting Kohli's participation in such endorsements. A lot of the users are sharing the videos with the wrong info title over different Social Media platforms.
Fact Check:
As soon as we were informed about the news, we made use of Keyword Search to see any news report that could be considered credible about Virat Kohli promoting any Casino app and we found nothing. Therefore, we also used Reverse Image Search for Virat Kohli wearing a Black T-shirt as seen in the video to find out more about the subject. We landed on a YouTube Video by Graham Bensinger, an American Journalist. The clip of the viral video was taken from this original video.
In this video, he discussed his childhood, his diet, his cricket training, his marriage, etc. but did not mention anything regarding a newly launched Casino app by the cricketer.
Through close scrutiny of the viral video we have noticed some inconsistencies in the lip-sync and voice. Subsequently, we executed Deepfake Detection in Deepware tool and identified it to be Deepfake Detected.
Finally, we affirm that the Viral Video Is Deepfakes Video and the statement made is False.
Conclusion:
The video has gone viral and claims that cricketer Virat Kohli is the one endorsing an online casino and assuring you that in three days time you will be a guaranteed winner of Rs 50,000. This is all a fake story. This incident demonstrates the necessity of checking facts and a source before believing any information, as well as remaining sceptical about deepfakes and AI (artificial intelligence), which is a new technology used nowadays for spreading misinformation.
Introduction
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Announces to Centre Government to Plan to Certify Permissible Online Games.
In a recent update to the notification released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on April 6, MeitY has requested gaming entities to establish self-regulatory organisations (SROs) within a timeframe of 30 days or a maximum of 90 days from the date of the notification, which is April 6, 2023. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has further announced that the central government will certify which online games are permissible until the SROs are officially established. The intention behind establishing SROs is to assist intermediaries, such as Apple or Google, in determining what constitutes a permitted online game, but the SRO will take 2-3 months to complete. In the meanwhile, the Central government will step in and determine what is a permissible online game.
Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 & Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Amendment Rules, 2023
By enacting these rules, the Indian government has taken decisive action to protect Indian gamers and their financial resources against scams and fraud. The rules also serve to promote responsible gaming while preventing young and vulnerable users from being exposed to indecent or abusive content.
Amendment Rules developed the concept of a “Permissible online real money game.” This designation is reserved for games that have passed a review process conducted by a self-regulatory body (SRB). Amendment rules indicate that Online Gaming Intermediaries must ensure that they do not permit any third party to host non-permissible online real money games on their platforms. This development is important because it empowers us to distinguish between legitimate and illicit real money games.
The Amendment Rules define an online gaming provider as an “intermediary” under the Information Technology Act of 2000, creating a separate classification called ‘Online Gaming Intermediary’.
Central government to certify what is an ‘Online Permissible Game’
The industry has been wondering what games come under wagering and will be banned. So, until the SROs are officially established, the government, in the interim, will certify what is a permissible game, what is wagering, and what is not wagering. Games that involve elements of wagering are going to be barred. The new regulations prohibit wagering on any outcome, whether in skill-based or chance-based games. Hence gaming applications involving wagering and betting apps will be barred.
Self-Regulatory Organizations (SROs)
According to the new regulations by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), online gaming intermediaries must establish a Self-Regulatory Body (SRO) to approve games offered to users over the Internet. The SRO must be registered with the Ministry and develop a framework to ensure compliance with the IT Rules 2021 objectives. An ‘online game’ can be registered by the SRO if it meets specific criteria, which include that the game is offered by an online gaming intermediary that is a member of the self-regulatory body, the game is not containing any content harmful to India’s interests, and complying with all relevant Indian regulations. If these requirements are met, the intermediary can display a visible registration mark indicating its registration with the self-regulatory authority.
Conclusion
MeitY found that with the rapid growth of the gaming industry, the real money gaming (RMG) sector had to be regulated properly. Rules framed must be properly implemented to stop gambling, betting, and wagering apps.
The IT Rules 2021, along with the Amendment Rules 2023, are created to take concrete action to curb the proliferation of gambling, betting, and wagering apps in India. These rules empower to issue of directives to ban specific apps that facilitate or promote such activities. The app ban directive allows the government to take decisive action by blocking access to these apps, making them unavailable for download or use within the country. This measure is aimed at curbing the negative impact of gambling, betting, and wagering on individuals and society, including issues related to addiction, financial loss, and illegal activities. Rules aim to actively combat the spread and influence of such apps and provide a safer online environment for gaming users.
The self-regulatory body in the context of online gaming will have the authority to grant membership to gaming intermediaries, register online games, develop a framework for regulation, interact with the Central Government, address user complaints, report instances of non-compliance, and take necessary actions to safeguard online gaming users.
