VB Fact-Check: Viral video of railway track collapse near Mirjan in Kumta proven false
Kumta: Amid widespread fear due to recent landslides near Shirur in the taluk and Wayanad in Kerala, a viral video showing a railway track collapse near Mirjan in Kumta has sparked concern among the public. However, authorities have confirmed that the video is fake.
The video, which has been circulating on social media, purportedly shows the earth collapsing under a railway track and water flowing rapidly beneath it. The incident was claimed to have occurred on August 1, with warnings issued to the railway department about an oncoming train on the affected route.
Following the video's circulation, many citizens contacted railway stations for clarification. Railway officials have assured the public that no such incident has occurred. They also announced plans to take legal action against those spreading such misinformation.
Vartha Bharati's Investigation:
1. Multiple Claims: A fact-check by Vartha Bharati revealed that the same video has been shared on various social media platforms, including YouTube, with different locations cited. Some posts claimed the video was from Rajasthan, while others mentioned Madhya Pradesh.
2. Local Verification: Another claim suggested the video was from Mirjan near Kumta in Uttara Kannada district. However, local railway officials confirmed that the video did not originate from Kumta and there was no cause for alarm. They emphasized that the video was being used to incite panic and reiterated their intent to pursue legal action against the perpetrators.
3. Origin of the Video: Using Google Lens to search for the screengrabs of the viral video, Vartha Bharati found numerous posts and videos uploaded over the past month, each claiming different locations. Despite extensive searches, Vartha Bharati was unable to independently verify the video's origin but confirmed it was not from Mirjan in Kumta.
The spread of such fake news amid natural calamities can exacerbate public fear and hinder effective disaster response. Authorities are urging people to rely on verified information and report any suspicious content to prevent the spread of misinformation.
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Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
