Criminal cases filed against 54 social media accounts for spreading misinformation about Maha Kumbha

• Fake videos and misleading posts used to defame Maha Kumbha

• Action was taken against 7 Facebook, 5 Instagram, 9 X, and 1 YouTube channel accounts

Prayagraj, 14.2.2025 – While Maha Kumbha 2025 is receiving global appreciation, some social media platforms have been spreading false and misleading information through fake videos and deceptive news reports, attempting to malign the world’s largest spiritual and cultural gathering.

Following CM Yogi Adityanath’s directive, Uttar Pradesh Police has filed cases against 54 social media accounts involved in this misinformation campaign. These platforms deliberately posted fake videos to spread rumours about Maha Kumbha.

The accounts under investigation include:

• 7 Facebook accounts
• 5 Instagram accounts
• 9 X (formerly Twitter) accounts
• 1 YouTube channel

1. Fake video linked to Egypt’s fire presented as a Maha Kumbha incident

• On 13th February 2025, during social media monitoring, police identified two major misleading videos related to Maha Kumbha
• One video showed a fire in Egypt, falsely claiming that it was a massive fire at a Maha Kumbha bus station, destroying 40-50 vehicles.
• This footage was actually from a 2020 oil pipeline explosion in Egypt.
• Cases were registered against 7 social media accounts at Kotwali Kumbh Mela Police Station for spreading this false information.

2. Patna incident falsely linked to Maha Kumbha

• A second fake video linked a disorderly event in Patna to Maha Kumbha, falsely claiming that nationalist groups threw slippers at Indian soldiers during the Mela.
• The video was from a film festival in Bihar that had nothing to do with Maha Kumbha.
• 15 social media accounts have been identified and legal action has been initiated against them

Social media accounts facing legal action for fake Egypt fire video:

1. India With Congress (@UWCforYouth) – X (Twitter)

2. Harindra Kumar Rao (@kumar.harindra.rao) – Instagram

3. Anil Patel (@_1_4_3_anil_patel) – Instagram

4. Vishal Babu (@a.v.r_rider_0) – Instagram

5. Nemi Chand (@nemichand.kumawat.2022) – Instagram

6. Sifa Bhadoriya (@bhadoriya6285) – Instagram

7. Hello Prayagraj (@Hello_Prayagraj) – YouTube

Social media accounts facing legal action for falsely linking Patna event to Maha Kumbha:

1. Inderjeet Barak (@inderjeetbarak) – X (Twitter)

2. Sunil (@sunil1997_) – X (Twitter)

3. Nihal Shaikh (@mr_nihal_sheikh) – X (Twitter)

4. Dimpi (@Dimpi77806999) – X (Twitter)

5. Sat Sewa (@lalitjawla76) – X (Twitter)

6. Sandesh Vatak News (@Sandeshvataksv) – X (Twitter)

7. Lokesh Meena (@LOKESHMEEN46402) – X (Twitter)

8. Raj Singh Choudhary (@RajSingh_Jakhar) – X (Twitter)

9. Yunus Alam – Facebook

10. Aminuddin Siddiqui – Facebook

11. Arvind Singh Yadav Ahirwal – Facebook

12. Shivam Kumar Kushwaha – Facebook

13. Jain Renu – Facebook

14. Amit Kumar – Facebook

15. Mehtar Ek Yoddha Ballia – Facebook

Previous actions against fake social media posts

For the past month, several misleading posts and videos have been circulated to defame Maha Kumbha. Some of the major incidents include:

• 13th January 2025: A training drill by firefighters was falsely presented as a real fire accident in Maha Kumbha.
• 2nd February 2025: An old video from Nepal was circulated, claiming that a stampede occurred in Maha Kumbha.
• 7th February 2025: A Facebook account posted a misleading video falsely depicting a crowd surge at Sangam as a stampede.
• 12th February 2025: Images of dead bodies found in Ghazipur were falsely claimed to be victims of a Maha Kumbha stampede. Action was taken against 7 accounts responsible for this false narrative.

The Uttar Pradesh Government continues to take strict action against such attempts to defame Maha Kumbha and spread false narratives.