Priyanka Gandhi was smiling during visit to tribal woman’s house after fatal tiger attack in Kerala?
Viral news card is edited
On January 24, 2025, a 45-year-old tribal woman named Radha was mauled to death by a tiger in a private coffee plantation near the forest in Pancharakolly, close to Mananthavady town in Wayanad. The incident sparked major protests by locals.
Amid this, a purported Asianet News card titled “Priyanka Gandhi at the House of Radha, Woman Killed in a Tiger Attack” has been widely shared on social media. The card features an image of Priyanka Gandhi standing with her daughter, Miraya Vadra, with a caption alleging that Priyanka was smiling during her visit to Radha’s house.
A Facebook user shared the card with the caption, "Someone who cannot tell the difference between a house of mourning and a wedding celebration. The villagers say even the tiger has more sense than this!" (Translated from Malayalam) (Archive)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found the claim to be false, as the circulated news card was digitally altered.
Priyanka Gandhi visited Wayanad on January 28, 2025. However, the presence of her daughter, Miraya Vadra, in the viral image raised doubts about its authenticity, as Miraya did not accompany her mother during the visit.
The original news card regarding Priyanka’s visit, shared by the official Facebook page of Asianet News, features Priyanka Gandhi alongside K. C. Venugopal, AICC General Secretary and MP for Alappuzha. The image in this news card shows both Congress leaders visiting Radha’s house and meeting her family.
A similar image was also found in an Asianet News report published on January 28, covering Priyanka’s visit and the protests over her late arrival. This further confirms that the viral news card was altered by superimposing an unrelated image over the original card.
Various news channels broadcast live footage of Priyanka Gandhi visiting Radha’s house. A Manorama News video on YouTube shows a similar scene to the one in the original Asianet News card.
The dress worn by Priyanka Gandhi in all these visuals is the same and differs from the one in the viral news card. This indicates that the viral card has been altered and the image is not from Wayanad.
Additionally, the outfit worn by Priyanka Gandhi in these visuals is different from the one in the viral news card, indicating that the viral image was not taken during her visit to Wayanad.
A reverse image search led us to the viral image shared on The Hindu’s X (formerly Twitter) handle on May 25, 2024. The post states that it shows Priyanka Gandhi outside a polling booth in New Delhi with her daughter after casting her vote in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
#ElectionsWithTheHindu | Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi with her daughter Miraya Vadra gestures outside a polling station after casting her vote, during the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, in New Delhi.
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) May 25, 2024
📸: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap/ The Hindu pic.twitter.com/lBgmbodWz8
The news card circulating with the claim that Priyanka Gandhi was smiling while standing at Radha's house in Wayanad has been digitally altered. An old image was superimposed onto the original Asianet News card, making the claim false.
(This story was originally published by newsmeter.in, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)
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Sports Ministry revokes WFI suspension, restores Federation's status as NSF
New Delhi (PTI): The Sports Ministry has revoked the suspension imposed on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), ending the months of uncertainty surrounding the sport and paving the way for resumption of activities, including selection trials for the upcoming Asian Championship in Amman.
The ministry had suspended the WFI on December 24, 2023 for lapses in governance and procedural integrity by the new body, which was elected on December 21.
The Sanjay Singh-led body had announced the conduct of Under-15 and Under-20 National Championships in Nandini Nagar, Gonda – the stronghold of former WFI chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh – and the choice of venue irked the government since the former BJP MP was facing charges of sexual harassment.
The ministry, in its order, said that the WFI has taken compliant measures, so in larger interest of the sport and athletes, the ministry has decided to lift the suspension.
"I thank the government for taking this step. It will allow us to function smoothly. It was needed for the sake of the sport. The athletes were suffering for lack of competitions," Sanjay Singh told PTI.
The ministry, though, has asked the WFI to follow certain directions, such as the federation has to ensure that there is a balance of power among the elected office bearers, and it keeps itself disassociated from the suspended/terminated officials.
It may be noted that Prem Chand Lochab, the new general secretary, was elected from the rival camp and the ministry's directive could be understood in that context.
"The EC of the WFI must give an undertaking in this regard within 4 weeks.
Any violation of the undertaking will invite appropriate legal action, including the action under the Sports Code," the ministry said in its order.
It also said that the WFI must ensure that the selection for all international events should be done in a free, fair and transparent manner as per the extant provisions of the Sports Code and the other latest instructions issued in this regard along with regulations issued from time-to-time by the UWW (United World Wrestling)," the order said.
WFI president said there is nothing that can't be followed.
"We have already shifted to a new office and soon we will call for an EC meeting and also issue a circular for the selection trials. We have no issues in following these instructions," he said.
The Asian Championship is scheduled to be held in Amman, Jordan from March 25.
The Indian wrestlers missed out on competing in Ranking Series tournaments in Zagreb and Albania due to the ministry suspension and the court cases filed by prominent wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Satyawart Kadian.
The wrestlers, who had led the protest against Brij Bhushan, had contended that the WFI did not have the authority to pick national teams since it was suspended.
The court had directed the Indian Olympic Association to restore the ad-hoc panel for managing the WFI but the sports body had refused, saying UWW, the world governing body, recognises only the WFI and won't accept entries from the ad-hoc panel.
The UWW had threatened IOA to suspend WFI again if there was interference in its governance.
"We are so relieved that this suspension has been lifted. There was a compete lull, the young wrestlers were suffering for no fault of theirs. They were missing tournaments, there was no national camp. The suspension should have been lifted long back," said a coach associated with a leading training centre in Haryana.
