Claim: This photo shows a Vande Bharat Express train running through the snowy mountains of Kashmir valley.

Fact: This photo is not real. It was made using Twitter’s Grok AI chatbot.

A photo of a white and blue train in the middle of snow-covered mountains and tall trees is going viral on social media. Those sharing it claimed that this breathtaking view was from the Kashmir Valley and that this train was a Vande Bharat.

Sharing the photo on Facebook, one person wrote, "This photograph is not from Switzerland. It's from our beautiful India. The view of the Vande Bharat train traveling through the snow-covered valleys of Kashmir is truly breathtaking".

India Today Fact Check found that this photo is not real and likely made using Twitter’s Grok AI chatbot. However, the Vande Bharat Express will soon be launched in Kashmir.

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We noticed a few inconsistencies in the viral photo. Being an electric train, Vande Bharat Express trains have high-rise pantographs that collect power from overhead electric wires running over the tracks. However, the pantographs are missing in the viral photo, and the electric wires are running on the side of the train instead of being overhead.

We also observed the word “GROK” written at the bottom-right corner of the viral picture. Grok is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI, a company founded by Elon Musk. Among other use cases, the chatbot is commonly used by X users for generating images that bear its watermark. It is thus likely that this photo was created using Grok AI.

Reverse searching the viral photo, we found a Facebook post dated December 28, 2024. It contained the viral photo, along with other similar photos of trains running in the snowy landscape. The caption stated that these photos were AI-generated.

We also ran the viral photo through various AI detection tools such as Hive Moderation and Is it AI. Their results also stated that there was substantial evidence of generative AI being used to create the photo.

 

It is noteworthy that the Indian Railways is planning to introduce a new Vande Bharat Express train that will operate between Katra and Srinagar railway stations, making it the first semi-high-speed train to run in the Kashmir Valley. The train is currently undergoing trials and is expected to be launched after January 20, 2025. It is said to have additional features, such as advanced heating systems, so that it can operate smoothly in extreme weather conditions.

Thus, it is more than clear that the viral photo making the rounds on social media was AI-generated. 

(This story was originally published by indiatoday, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)

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New Delhi (PTI): Actor Nora Fatehi on Thursday appeared before the National Commission for Women in connection with a controversy surrounding the song 'Sarke Chunar' and apologised, saying there was "no intention to offend anybody."

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Fatehi said she had been put in a situation unintentionally but acknowledged her responsibility as an artist.

"It was just a situation that I was put in, and there was no intention to offend anybody. But of course, I have to be responsible as an artiste. I definitely apologise, we have done everything in writing. They have been so kind and helpful," she said.

The actor also said she has decided to sponsor the education of a few orphan girls.

"It's really important for us to give back to society. So, I decided that we should sponsor a few orphan girls, their education, so that is the goal after this matter," she said.

Earlier, Fatehi distanced herself from the Hindi version of the song, saying she had shot the Kannada version and that her permission was not taken for its use in Hindi.

The Hindi version of the song, released on March 15 on YouTube, triggered outrage among a section of the public over its allegedly explicit lyrics.

Following the backlash, the makers removed the Hindi version from YouTube, though it continued to circulate across platforms. The lyricist, singer and director have also issued apologies.

'KD The Devil' is a Kannada film, dubbed in four languages, including Hindi.