Old Video Falsely Shared As Punjab Floods: Fact-Check Debunks Claim, 6 Accounts Booked
A video of food distribution during flooding in Bangladesh has been falsely circulated on social media as visuals from the recent floods in Punjab. According to a detailed investigation by Lighthouse Journalism, the viral claim is misleading.
The clip shows people wading through waist-deep water and distributing food packets. It was widely shared on Instagram and other platforms, with several users claiming it depicted the current situation in Punjab’s flood-hit areas.
However, a fact-check by Lighthouse Journalism traced the video back to August 2024. Using reverse image search, the team found the clip was originally uploaded on August 27, 2024, on Instagram with a caption in Bangla.
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Further verification led to Bangla Vision News’ official Facebook page, where the same video had been shared on August 25, 2024. The caption there read: “Madrasa students came forward again for the needs of the country. They are delivering relief aid in water up to the chest.”
Additionally, the video was also available on a Bangladesh-based YouTube channel with a description that said: “Hujurra arrived with food for the people trapped in the flood.” This confirmed that the footage was not from India but from Bangladesh, recorded during last year’s floods.
Despite the clarification, the misleading video has already gained traction online. Social media users continued to share it with claims linking it to Punjab.
Meanwhile, authorities in Punjab have initiated action against the spread of such misinformation. According to a report in The Indian Express, police in Mohali registered First Information Reports (FIRs) this week against six social media accounts for allegedly circulating fake videos and false claims about the flood situation in the state.
The cases were filed by the Cyber Crime Police Station following a complaint, with officials stressing that spreading misleading content in times of crisis can cause unnecessary panic.
