Pahalgam tragedy opens floodgates of misinformation on social media

Moving to contain a surge of misinformation following the Pahalgam terror attack, the government has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels.

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

But the floodgates of fake news are open on social media platforms with scores of unverified posts peddling false, inflammatory narratives.

The fact check unit examined 10 of the most widely circulated claims, nine on X (previously Twitter) and one on Instagram, falsely portraying heightened tensions, retaliatory strikes and internal unrest in the aftermath of the April 22 tragedy in Kashmir in which 26 people were killed.

All 10 were debunked as misleading or completely false.

ONE

A viral claim suggested the Pakistani Army had destroyed two Indian check-points in the Leepa Valley of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The post was accompanied by an image of a fire in the hills. PTI's verification traced the image to a 2025 wildfire in Northern Ireland's Mourne Mountains, an incident unrelated to any military action. The photo, shared by a user named 'Pakistan' on X April 27, has garnered 54,000 views so far, and 61 other users reposted it.

TWO