#FactCheck-Viral video of police parading accused is from Gujarat, not linked to Rajasthan's Sriganganagar rape case
Research Wing
Innovation and Research
PUBLISHED ON
Jul 8, 2026
10
Executive Summary
Amid nationwide outrage over the gang-rape of a 13-year-old minor in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan, a video is circulating on social media. The clip shows police officers tying the hands of several accused individuals and parading them publicly on the streets. Users sharing the video claim that these are the culprits from the Sriganganagar case being beaten by the police.
A fact-check by the CyberPeace Research Wing found this claim to be misleading. The viral video has no connection to the Rajasthan incident; it actually depicts a separate event from Patan, Gujarat, dating back to March 2026.
The Claim
On July 7, 2026, a user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the video with the caption: "32 jihadis assaulted, brutalized, and raped a 13-year-old girl for five days. These criminals must get the harshest punishment to set an example."
To verify the viral claim, keyframes from the video were extracted and analysed using Google Lens for reverse image search. During the research, we found a report published by NDTV on March 19, 2026, which carried visuals matching the viral video. The report link and screenshot are provided below:
According to the NDTV report, a video showing police personnel publicly assaulting 18 alleged accused persons in Gujarat’s Patan district had surfaced. The incident was reported to have taken place during a crime scene reconstruction exercise.
The report stated that the accused, allegedly linked to an extortion gang, were taken to Chanasma for the reconstruction process. During the exercise, police personnel were seen assaulting them. Witnesses claimed that the accused were paraded through areas where they had allegedly created fear among locals.
The accused were reportedly linked to the alleged Jhiliya gang. The incident occurred days after a violent clash in which members of the same group allegedly attacked a police team, forcing officers to retreat from the spot.
During further research, we found a report published by ABP Asmita on March 19, 2026. According to the report, the incident was linked to an old dispute over temple donations.
The report stated that the accused were produced before a court, which sent them to five days of police custody until March 23, 2026. The report link and screenshot are provided below:
The research found that the viral video is not related to the alleged gang rape case in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. The video is being shared with a false context. The footage actually belongs to a separate incident from Gujarat’s Patan district reported in March 2026.
In the age of virtuality, misinformation and misleading techniques shape the macula of the internet, and these threaten human safety and well-being. Recently, an alarming fake information has surfaced, intended to provide a fake Government subsidy scheme with the name of Indian Post. This serves criminals, who attack people's weaknesses, laying them off with proposals of receiving help in exchange for info. In this informative blog, we take a deep dive into one of the common schemes of fraud during this time. We will go through the stages involved which illustrates how one is deceived and offer practical tips to avoid the fall.
Introduction:
Digital communication reaches individuals faster, and as a result, misinformation and mails have accelerated their spread globally. People, therefore, are susceptible to online scams as they add credibility to phenomena. In India, the recently increased fake news draws its target with the deceptive claims of being a subsidy from the Government mainly through the Indian post. These fraudulent schemes frequently are spread via social networks and messaging platforms, influence trust of the individual’s in respectable establishments to establish fraud and collect private data.
Understanding the Claim:
There is a claim circulating on the behalf of the Government at the national level of a great subsidy of $1066 for deserving residents. The individual will be benefited with the subsidy when they complete the questionnaire they have received through social media. The questionnaire may have been designed to steal the individual’s confidential information by way of taking advantage of naivety and carelessness.
The Deceptive Journey Unveiled:
Bogus Offer Presentation: The scheme often appeals to people, by providing a misleading message or a commercial purposely targeted at convincing them to act immediately by instilling the sense of an urgent need. Such messages usually combine the mood of persuasion and highly evaluative material to create an illusion of being authentic.
Questionnaire Requirement: After the visitors land on attractive content material they are directed to fill in the questionnaire which is supposedly required for processing the economic assistance. This questionnaire requests for non private information in their nature.
False Sense of Urgency: Simultaneously, in addition to the stress-causing factor of it being a fake news, even the false deadline may be brought out to push in the technique of compliance. This data collection is intended to put people under pressure and influence them to make the information transfer that immediate without thorough examination.
Data Harvesting Tactics: Despite the financial help actually serving, you might be unaware but lies beneath it is a vile motive, data harvesting. The collection of facts through questionnaires may become something priceless for scammers that they can use for a good while to profit from identity theft, financial crimes and other malicious means.
Analysis Highlights:
It is important to note that at this particular point, there has not been any official declaration or a proper confirmation of an offer made by the India Post or from the Government. So, people must be very careful when encountering such messages because they are often employed as lures in phishing attacks or misinformation campaigns. Before engaging or transmitting such claims, it is always advisable to authenticate the information from trustworthy sources in order to protect oneself online and prevent the spread of wrongful information
The campaign is hosted on a third party domain instead of any official Government Website, this raised suspicion. Also the domain has been registered in very recent times.
Note: Cybercriminal used Cloudflare technology to mask the actual IP address of the fraudulent website.
CyberPeace Advisory:
Verification and Vigilance: It makes complete sense in this case that you should be cautious and skeptical. Do not fall prey to this criminal act. Examine the arguments made and the facts provided by either party and consult credible sources before disclosures are made.
Official Channels: Governments usually invoke the use of reliable channels which can as well be by disseminating subsidies and assistance programs through official websites and the legal channels. Take caution for schemes that are not following the protocols previously established.
Educational Awareness: Providing awareness through education and consciousness about on-line scams and the approaches which are fraudulent has to be considered a primary requirement. Through empowering individuals with capabilities and targets we, as a collective, can be armed with information that will prevent erroneous scheme spreading.
Reporting and Action: In a case of mission suspicious and fraudulent images, let them understand immediately by making the authorities and necessary organizations alert. Your swift actions do not only protect yourself but also help others avoid the costs of related security compromises.
Conclusion:
The rise of the ‘Indian Post Countrywide - government subsidy fake news’ poses a stern warning of the present time that the dangers within the virtual ecosystem are. The art of being wise and sharp in terms of scams always reminds us to show a quick reaction to the hacks and try to do the things that we should identify as per the CyberPeace advisories; thereby, we will contribute to a safer Cyberspace for everyone. Likewise, the ability to critically judge, and remain alert, is important to help defeat the variety of tricks offenders use to mislead you online.
A photo allegedly showing injuries to Seema Haider has been widely circulated on social media. Users are claiming that her husband Sachin Meena assaulted her. However, a fact-check by CyberPeace Research Wing has found the claim to be false. The research reveals that the viral image is AI-generated and is being shared with a misleading narrative.
Claim
On X (formerly Twitter), a user shared the image on May 14, 2026, claiming that Sachin Meena assaulted Seema Haider.
A keyword-based search on Google did not return any credible media reports supporting the viral claim.
A closer visual examination of the image raised suspicions of AI generation. The image was first analysed using the AI detection tool Hive Moderation, which indicated a 99% probability that the image is AI-generated.
Further analysis using another AI detection tool, Sightengine, also produced similar results, confirming a 99% likelihood that the image was generated using AI tools.
Conclusion
The viral image is AI-generated and misleading. The claim that Sachin Meena assaulted Seema Haider is false and has no factual basis.
The Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the Press Council of India on the occasion of National Press Day regarding emergent concerns in the digital media and technology landscape. Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw has identified four major challenges facing news media in India, including fake news, algorithmic bias, artificial intelligence, and fair compensation. He emphasized the need for greater accountability and fairness from Big Tech to combat misinformation and protect democracy. Vaishnaw argued that platforms do not verify information posted online, leading to the spread of false and misleading information. He called on online platforms and Big Tech to combat misinformation and protect democracy.
Key Concerns Highlighted by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
Misinformation: Due to India's unique sensitivities, digital platforms should adopt country-specific responsibilities and metrics. The Minister also questioned the safe harbour principle, which shields platforms from liability for user-generated content.
Algorithmic Biases: The prioritisation of viral content, which is often divisive, by social media algorithms can have serious implications on societal peace.
Impact of AI on intellectual Property: The training of AI on pre-existing datasets presents the ethical challenge of robbing original creators of their rights to their intellectual property
Fair compensation: Traditional news media is increasingly facing financial strain since news consumption is shifting rapidly to social media platforms, creating uneven compensation dynamics.
Cyberpeace Insights
Misinformation: Marked by routine upheavals and moral panics, Indian society is vulnerable to the severe impacts of fake news, including mob violence, political propaganda, health misinformation and more. Inspired by the EU's Digital Services Act, 2022, and other related legislation that addresses hate speech and misinformation, the Indian Minister has called for revisiting the safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000. However, any legislation on misinformation must strike a balance between protecting the fundamental rights to freedom of speech, and privacy while safeguarding citizens from its harmful effects.
Algorithmic Biases: Social media algorithms are designed to boost user engagement since this increases advertisement revenue. This leads to the creation of filter bubbles- exposure to personalized information online and echo chambers interaction with other users with the same opinions that align with their worldview. These phenomena induce radicalization of views, increase intolerance fuel polarization in public discourse, and trigger the spread of more misinformation. Tackling this requires algorithmic design changes such as disincentivizing sensationalism, content labelling, funding fact-checking networks, etc. to improve transparency.
Impact of AI on Intellectual Property: AI models are trained on data that may contain copyrighted material. It can lead to a loss of revenue for primary content creators, while tech companies owning AI models may financially benefit disproportionately by re-rendering their original works. Large-scale uptake of AI models will significantly impact fields such as advertising, journalism, entertainment, etc by disrupting their market. Managing this requires a push for Ethical AI regulations and the protection of original content creators.
Conclusion: Charting a Balanced Path
The socio-cultural and economic fabric of the Indian subcontinent is not only distinct from the rest of the world but has cross-cutting internal diversities, too. Its digital landscape stands at a crossroads as rapid global technological advancements present increasing opportunities and challenges. In light of growing incidents of misinformation on social media platforms, it is also crucial that regulators consider framing rules that encourage and mandate content verification mechanisms for online platforms, incentivizing them to adopt advanced AI-driven fact-checking tools and other relevant measures. Additionally, establishing public-private partnerships to monitor misinformation trends is crucial to rapidly debunking viral falsehoods. However ethical concerns and user privacy should be taken into consideration while taking such steps. Addressing misinformation requires a collaborative approach that balances platform accountability, technological innovation, and the protection of democratic values.
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