Fact check: Old video of boys placing stones on railway tracks resurfaces with misleading claims
New Delhi: A video showing a minor boy placing stones on railway tracks has resurfaced on social media, accompanied by misleading claims suggesting a deliberate act of sabotage linked to communal tensions. The video, widely circulated on platforms like X, implies that children are being used to cause train derailments, with some posts falsely attributing the incident to a specific community.
Social media users shared the video, claiming that the event is part of a larger conspiracy to sabotage railway tracks. These posts have gained significant traction, with many speculating about the involvement of certain communities in the incident.
However, a fact-check report by Alt News reveals that the video is not recent and lacks any communal angle. The video was traced back to May 12, 2018, when it was first posted on Facebook. It was recorded in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, and depicts children from nearby slums playing by placing stones on the railway tracks.
Ravi Kumar, the circle inspector of Raichur Railways, confirmed that the video is from 2018 and clarified that the children had no intention of causing harm. The trackmen present at the scene, identified as Gopal and Rajkumar, scolded the boys and let them go without filing a case. Both trackmen also confirmed that the boys involved were Hindus, debunking the communal claims.
In conclusion, the viral video is from 2018, and the claims of a deliberate act of sabotage with a communal angle are false. The incident involved children playing near the tracks without any malicious intent.
Right Wing Pro-Govt Propaganda accounts are sharing old videos to give communal angles to the train accidents or it is a deliberate act of 'sabotage'
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 8, 2024
This is a 6-yr-old video of boy placing stones on rail tracks in Kalburgi. This video was earlier shared with a claim that the… https://t.co/EaDBHZlskH
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Vartha Bharati–Sankalp predictions align closely with Karnataka bypoll results
Bengaluru: The Vartha Bharati–Sankalp election analysis has shown a high level of accuracy in predicting the outcome of the recent Karnataka Assembly by-elections held in May 2026, correctly calling winners in both constituencies and closely estimating vote share trends.
The by-elections were held in Bagalkot and Davanagere South, drawing significant political attention as both seats were seen as key tests for the ruling Congress and opposition BJP.
According to the analysis, Vartha Bharati–Sankalp had made three major projections ahead of the results the winning party, vote share percentages, and margin of victory.
In both constituencies, the platform accurately predicted that the Congress would emerge victorious. The outcome matched the projections, with Congress candidates winning in Bagalkot and Davanagere South.
In terms of vote share, the predictions were largely in line with the final results. In Bagalkot, the BJP’s vote share was forecast in the range of 40 to 46 per cent, while the actual figure stood at 42.9 per cent. The Congress vote share, however, exceeded expectations, with the party securing 55.4 per cent against a projected range of 43 to 48 per cent.
The margin of victory in Bagalkot turned out to be significantly higher than anticipated. While the projection had placed the margin between 2,000 and 3,500 votes, the final margin was around 22,332 votes.
In Davanagere South, the predictions also remained largely accurate. The Congress vote share was projected between 43 and 51 per cent, and the final figure stood at 43.9 per cent. The BJP was expected to secure between 42 and 50 per cent but ended with 40.3 per cent.
The analysis had also identified the role of SDPI as a potential spoiler in the constituency. While its vote share was estimated around 6 per cent, the party eventually secured around 12 per cent of the vote.
The margin of victory in Davanagere South was predicted to be between 1,500 and 2,600 votes. The actual margin was higher at around 5,708 votes, though the contest remained relatively close as anticipated.
Overall, the performance of Vartha Bharati–Sankalp stood out for correctly identifying the winning parties in both seats and maintaining close accuracy in vote share estimates, with only limited deviations in specific cases.
