Social media posts claiming 3 Indian diplomats killed in attack in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad are fake
New Delhi (PTI Fact Check): Multiple social media users recently shared posts claiming that three high-ranking Indian diplomats were killed in an attack on Indian consulate vehicle in Afghanistan's Jalalabad on December 24. However, the PTI Fact Check Desk, in its investigation, found the claim to be false. In fact, an Afghan national working at the Indian consulate in Jalalabad sustained injuries when unidentified persons opened fire at his vehicle the same day.
Notably, India had long closed operations at the Indian consulate in Jalalabad post the fall of the Ashraf Ghani government. Only a number of local staffers are presently working at the mission.
Claim
An X (formerly Twitter) user on December 24 claimed that three high-ranking Indian diplomats were killed in an attack in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad. The post has garnered over 20k views so far.
Here's the link, archive link, and screenshot of the post.
Investigation
On running the viral screenshot through Google Lens, the Desk found that similar claim was shared by several other social media users. Two such posts can be seen here and here, and their archived versions can be viewed here and here, respectively.
Below is the screenshot of one such post by a user on X (formerly Twitter).
In the next part of investigation, the Desk carried out a customised keyword search on Google, but could not find any authentic news report, substantiating the viral claim.
However, the search results led us to a PTI report carried by The Print on December 24, whose headline read: “Afghan staffer at Indian consulate in Jalalabad injured in attack”.
Here is the link to the post:
“An Afghan national working at the Indian consulate in Jalalabad sustained injuries on Tuesday when unidentified persons opened fire at his vehicle, people familiar with the matter said,” read a section of the report.
It further stated that India had closed operations at the consulate around three-and-a-half years back but a number of local staffers were working at the mission.
On further scanning the search results, we came across another report on the incident by Hindustan Times.
Here's the link and screenshot of the news report.
None of the reports mentioned anything about any casualty or any Indian official suffering injuries in the attack.
Subsequently, the Desk concluded that the claim of three Indian officials being killed in an attack in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad was fake.
CLAIM
Three Indian diplomats killed in an attack in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad.
FACT
One Afghan staffer working at Indian consulate was injured in the December 24 attack.
CONCLUSION
Multiple social media users claimed that three Indian diplomats were killed in attack in attack in Afghanistan’s Jalalabad on December 24. In its investigation, the Desk found the claim to be false.
(This story was originally published by PTI, and republished by english.varthabharati.in as part of the Shakti Collective)
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Three company directors held in Rs 100-crore investment fraud in Kochi
Kochi (Kerala) (PTI): Police on Sunday arrested three directors of a firm accused of cheating hundreds of investors of over Rs 100 crore through a fake investment scheme linked to agricultural tourism here, officials said.
The accused were identified as Muraleedharan, Ashik Murali and Akhil Murali, all natives of Thrissur.
The arrests were made by the Kalamassery police in connection with a fraud involving ATCOS (Agri Tourism Cooperative Society), a firm headquartered at Pathadipalam here.
Police said the company had promised high returns by collecting investments from the public in the agricultural tourism sector, but allegedly cheated hundreds of people and fled with the money.
ATCOS was registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and operated 13 branches across various districts in Kerala, besides a branch in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, officials said.
When investors failed to receive their promised returns or the invested amount, complaints were filed with the police.
Officials said around 54 cases have been registered against the firm in 32 police stations across the state, including 29 cases at the Kalamassery police station alone.
Following instructions from Kochi City Police Commissioner K S Mahesh Kumar, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shehensha and Thrikkakara ACP Manoj Kumar.
The team traced the accused to an apartment in Amala Nagar in Thrissur, where they had been hiding after secretly renting the flat, officials said.
The bank accounts of the accused have been frozen, and steps have been initiated to trace their assets, officials said.
Police also conducted a raid at the company’s office at Pathadipalam and seized several documents related to the case.
The accused were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kalamassery, which remanded them to judicial custody and sent them to Kakkanad jail.
Police said they would seek the custody of the accused for further interrogation as the investigation continues.
