Social Media Hawkers in Frenzy: Viral Claim of 7 Deaths in South Kashmir Accident Found Fake
Srinagar, Nov 25, KNT: A series of social media posts on Tuesday falsely claimed that seven people had been killed and several injured in a major road accident in South Kashmir, triggering panic among locals. The viral claims, circulated by multiple pages and individuals, mentioned no location or official confirmation.
News Agency Kashmir News Trust checked and verified from different sources and found that no such accident has occurred anywhere in South Kashmir. It was found that the circulating content was fabricated. Police sources added that some social media users were irresponsibly spreading unverified reports to gain likes, comments, and followers.
The misleading posts, which referred to an alleged vehicle plunging into a gorge, were widely shared before being flagged by locals for lacking any factual basis. Officials urged people not to forward unverified information and to rely only on authentic updates issued by authorities.
The steady rise of misinformation has pushed people away from social media, making them rely increasingly on verified and credible news outlets. [KNT]
