#FactCheck- Old Ladakh Protest Video Falsely Shared as Violence Following Sonam Wangchuk’s Arrest
Executive Summary
Last September, protests were held in Ladakh over several demands, including full statehood, extension of Sixth Schedule protections, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil, and reservation in jobs. During that period, some demonstrations turned violent. Since then, talks between stakeholders and the government have continued regarding these demands. Amid this backdrop, Pakistani propaganda handles on social media are sharing a video of a protest and claiming that violent demonstrations have erupted in Ladakh following the arrest of education reformer Sonam Wangchuk. CyberPeace Research Wing research found the claim to be misleading. The claim regarding Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest is false, while the viral video is actually from protests that took place in September last year.
Claim:
Sharing the video, a user wrote: “Massive protests in Ladakh. Violent demonstrations have erupted after reports of the arrest of Ladakh’s revolutionary leader Sonam Wangchuk. The people of Ladakh seek justice and freedom from the Indian Army, which is attacking civilians.”
https://x.com/ZardSi/status/2064204063248695393?s=20
Fact Check:
Our research found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is from protests held in September last year, and the claim that Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested is also false. We first converted the video into keyframes and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. This led us to several videos and news reports covering the same incident. The viral footage was found in a news report uploaded on September 24, 2025, by Asianet News English on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/@asianetnewsenglish
According to the information provided with the video, large-scale protests took place in Leh in support of demands for Sixth Schedule status and full statehood for Ladakh. The movement turned violent following clashes with police, and protesters allegedly set fire to a BJP office in Leh. CRPF personnel and local police later detained several protesters, bringing the situation under control. We also found a report published by Arunachal24, which stated that at least four people were killed and more than 70 injured in violent clashes between protesters demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh and security forces. The report further mentioned that protesters set fire to a local BJP office and a CRPF vehicle, following which authorities imposed a strict curfew across Leh.
Our team also found that the claim about Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest is entirely false. Wangchuk remains active on social media and had posted an update on June 10, indicating that he had not been detained.
Conclusion:
The fact-check clearly shows that the viral claim is misleading. There is no evidence that Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested. The viral video is not recent and actually shows protests that took place in Ladakh in September 2025.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary
A video showing armed personnel detaining individuals on board a ship is being widely shared on social media with the claim that Indian Navy’s MARCOS captured 35 Somali pirates during a recent anti-piracy operation. However, research by the CyberPeace Research Wing found the claim to be misleading. The viral video is actually from the joint military exercise ‘LAMITIYE 2026’, held in Seychelles in March, involving the Indian Armed Forces and the Seychelles Defence Forces.
Claim
Users on X (formerly Twitter) shared the clip with captions such as: “Indian Navy MARCOS captured 35 Somali pirates,” presenting it as footage of a recent anti-piracy mission.
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search. This led us to the same video posted on March 20 by a Facebook page named “Defence Squad.” The caption identified the visuals as showing Indian Navy MARCOS and the Seychelles Defence Forces’ Special Operations Unit during the joint military exercise LAMITIYE 2026.
Link:
- https://www.facebook.com/reel/1263962865936234
- https://www.facebook.com/reel/1263962865936234
Further keyword searches led to multiple news reports carrying screenshots from the same video. These reports confirmed that the 11th India-Seychelles joint military exercise, LAMITIYE 2026, was conducted in Seychelles from March 9 to March 20.
We did not find any recent reports about the Indian Navy capturing Somali pirates. However, in March 2024, the Indian Navy had captured 35 Somali pirates who had hijacked a bulk carrier and taken hostages. The suspects were later handed over to Mumbai Police for legal proceedings.
Conclusion
The viral claim is misleading. The video being circulated as footage of an anti-piracy operation by the Indian Navy does not show the capture of Somali pirates. Instead, it is from the India-Seychelles joint military exercise ‘LAMITIYE 2026’, conducted in March with the participation of the Indian Armed Forces and the Seychelles Defence Forces. While the Indian Navy had indeed captured 35 Somali pirates in a separate incident in March 2024, there are no credible or recent reports linking such an operation to the viral video. The clip has been taken out of context and is being shared with a false narrative, leading to misinformation about a routine military exercise.
Introduction
In an era where digitalization is transforming every facet of life, ensuring that personal data is protected becomes crucial. The enactment of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) is a significant step that has been taken by the Indian Parliament which sets forth a comprehensive framework for Digital Personal Data. The Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 has recently been released for public consultation to supplement the Act and ensure its smooth implementation once finalised. Though noting certain positive aspects, there is still room for addressing certain gaps and multiple aspects under the draft rules that require attention. The DPDP Act, 2023 recognises the individual’s right to protect their personal data providing control over the processing of personal data for lawful purposes. This Act applies to data which is available in digital form as well as data which is not in digital form but is digitalised subsequently. While the Act is intended to offer wide control to the individuals (Data Principal) over their personal information, its impact on vulnerable groups such as ‘Persons with Disabilities’ requires closer scrutiny.
Person with Disabilities as data principal
The term ‘data principal’ has been defined under the DPDP Act under Section 2(j) as a person to whom the personal data is related to, which also includes a person with a disability. A lawful guardian acting on behalf of such person with disability has also been included under the ambit of this definition of Data Principal. As a result, a lawful guardian acting on behalf of a person with disability will have the same rights and responsibilities as a data principal under the Act.
- Section 9 of the DPDP Act, 2023 states that before processing the personal data of a person with a disability who has a lawful guardian, the data fiduciary must obtain verifiable consent from that guardian, ensuring proper protection of the person with disability's data privacy.
- The data principal has the right to access information about personal data under Section 11 which is being processed by the data fiduciary.
- Section 12 provides the right to correction and erasure of personal data by making a request in a manner prescribed by the data fiduciary.
- A right to grievance redressal must be provided to the data principal in respect of any act or omission of performance of obligations by the data fiduciary or the consent manager.
- Under Section 14, the data principal has the right to nominate any other person to exercise the rights provided under the Act in case of death or incapacity.
Provision of consent and its implication
The three key components of Consent that can be identified under the DPDP Act, are:
- Explicit and Informed Consent: Consent given for the processing of data by the data principal or a lawful guardian in case of persons with disabilities must be clear, free and informed as per section 6 of the Act. The data fiduciary must specify the itemised description of the personal data required along with the specified purpose and description of the goods or services that would be provided by such processing of data. (Rule 3 under Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules)
- Verifiable Consent: Section 9 of the DPDP Act provides that the data fiduciary needs to obtain verifiable consent of the lawful guardian before processing any personal data of such a person with a disability. Rule 10 of the Draft Rules obligates the data fiduciary to adopt measures to ensure that the consent given by the lawful guardian is verifiable before the is processed.
- Withdrawal of Consent: Data principal or such lawful guardian has the option to withdraw consent for the processing of data at any point by making a request to the data fiduciary.
Although the Act includes certain provisions that focus on the inclusivity of persons with disability, the interpretation of such sections says otherwise.
Concerns related to provisions for Persons with Disabilities under the DPDP Act:
- Lack of definition of ‘person with disabilities’: The DPDP Act or the Draft Rules does not define the term ‘persons with disabilities’. This will create confusion as to which categories of disability are included and up to what percentage. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 clearly defines ‘person with benchmark disability’, ‘person with disability’ and ‘person with disability having high support needs’. This categorisation is essential to determine up to what extent a person with disability needs a lawful guardian which is missing under the DPDP Act.
- Lack of autonomy: Though the definition of data principal includes persons with disabilities however the decision-making authority has been given to the lawful guardian of such individuals. The section creates ambiguity for people who have a lower percentage of disability and are capable of making their own decisions and have no autonomy in making decisions related to the processing of their personal data because of the lack of clarity in the definition of ‘persons with disabilities’.
- Safeguards for abuse of power by lawful guardian: The lawful guardian once verified by the data fiduciary can make decisions for the persons with disabilities. This raises concerns regarding the potential abuse of power by lawful guardians in relation to the handling of personal data. The DPDP Act does not provide any specific protection against such abuse.
- Difficulty in verification of consent: The consent obtained by the Data Fiduciary must be verified. The process that will be adopted for verification is at the discretion of the data fiduciary according to Rule 10 of the Draft Data Protection Rules. The authenticity of consent is difficult to determine as it is a complex process which lacks a standard format. Also, with the technological advancements, it would be challenging to identify whether the information given to verify the consent is actually true.
CyberPeace Recommendations
The DPDP Act, 2023 is a major step towards making the data protection framework more comprehensive, however, the provisions related to persons with disabilities and powers given to lawful guardians acting on their behalf still need certain clarity and refinement within the DPDP Act framework.
- Consonance of DPDP with Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016: The RPWD and DPDP Act should supplement each other and can be used to clear the existing ambiguities. Such as the definition of ‘persons with disabilities’ under the RPWD Act can be used in the context of the DPDP Act, 2023.
- Also, there must be certain mechanisms and safeguards within the Act to prevent abuse of power by the lawful guardian. The affected individual in case of suspected abuse of power should have an option to file a complaint with the Data Protection Board and the Board can further take necessary actions to determine whether there is abuse of power or not.
- Regulatory oversight and additional safeguards are required to ensure that consent is obtained in a manner that respects the rights of all individuals, including those with disabilities.
References:
- https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/Digital%20Personal%20Data%20Protection%20Act%202023.pdf
- https://www.meity.gov.in/writereaddata/files/259889.pdf
- https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/15939/1/the_rights_of_persons_with_disabilities_act%2C_2016.pdf
- https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/consent-disability-rights-and-data-protection-3143441
- https://www.pacta.in/digital-data-protection-consent-protocols-for-disability.pdf
- https://www.snrlaw.in/indias-new-data-protection-regime-tracking-updates-and-preparing-for-compliance/
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Executive Summary:
Cyber incidents are evolving along with time, they are designed to attract and lure people through social networking sites and/or messaging services. In the recent past a spate of messages alleging that TRAI is offering ‘3 months free recharge with free voice calls and internet for 4g/5g with 200 GB free data’. These messages display the TRAI logo with attractive offers to trick the users into revealing their personal details. This blog discusses the functioning of this free mobile recharge scheme, its methods and guidelines on how to avoid such fake schemes. This blog explains the importance of vigilance and verification when receiving any links, emphasizing the need to report suspicious activities and educate others to prevent identity theft and protect personal information.
Claim:
The message circulated an enticing offer: free mobile recharge for 3 months which provides unlimited free voice calls with 200GB 4G/5G data with TRAI logo. The key characteristics of the false claims are
- Official Branding: The logo of TRAI has been viewed as a deceptive facade of credibility.
- Unrealistic Offers: It is accompanied by a free recharge , which is intended for an extended period indefinite period, like most fraudsters’ bait.
- Urgency and Exclusivity: The offer is for a limited time to make urgency forcing the receiver to take the offer without confirmation.
The Deceptive Scheme:
Organized systematically, the fraudulent campaign usually proceeds in several steps, all of which aim at extracting the victim’s personal data. Here’s a breakdown of the scheme:
1. Initial Contact: Such messages or calls reach the users’ inboxes or phone numbers through social media applications such as WhatsApp or through text messages. These messages further implies that the user was chosen for the special offer from TRAI, which elicits the interest of the user.
2. Information Request: To claim the purported offer, users are directed to a website or asked to reply with personal details, including:
- Phone number
- State of residence
- SIM provider details
This is useful for the scammers as they harvest information which can be used to conduct identity theft or sold to others on the shady part of the internet known as the ‘Dark Web’.
3. Fake Confirmation: After providing all the information, a congratulatory message appears on the screen showing that their phone number is eligible for the offer. The user is compelled to forward the message to many phone numbers through whatsapp to get the offer.
4. Pressure Tactics: The message often implies a sense of time constraint or fear which psychologically produces pressure to provide all the user information. For example, users are given messages such as that if they do not ‘act now’, they will lose their mobile service.
Analyzing the Fraudulent Campaign
The TRAI fraudulent recharge scheme case depicts that social engineering is used in cyber crimes. Here are some key aspects that characterize this campaign:
- Sophisticated Social Engineering
Scammers take advantage of the holders’ confidence in official bodies such as TRAI. By using official TRAI logos, official language they try to deceive even cautious people.
- Viral Spread
The user is compelled to share the given message to friends and groups; this is an excellent strategy to spread the scam. It not only spreads the fraudulent message but also tries to extract the details of other people.
- Technical Analysis
- Domain Name: SGOFF[.]CYOU
- Registry Domain ID: D472308342-CNIC
- Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.hkdns.hk
- Registrar URL: http://www.hkdns.hk
- Updated Date: 2024-07-24T18:50:48.0Z
- Creation Date: 2024-07-19T18:48:44.0Z
- Registry Expiry Date: 2025-07-19T23:59:59.0Z
- Registrar: West263 International Limited
- Registrar IANA ID: 1915
- Registrant State/Province: Anhui
- Registrant Country: CN
- Name Server: NORMAN.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
- Name Server: PAM.NS.CLOUDFLARE.COM
- DNSSEC: unsigned
Cloudflare Inc. is used to cover the scam. The real website always uses the older domain while this url has been registered recently which indicates that this link is a scam.
The graph indicates that some of the communicated files and websites are malicious.
CyberPeace Advisory and Best Practice:
In light of the growing threat posed by such scams, the Research Wing of CyberPeace recommend the following best practices to help users protect themselves:
1. Verify Communications: It is always advisable to visit the official site of the organization or call the official contact numbers of the company to speak to their customer care and clarify about the offers.
2. Do not share personal information: No genuine organization will call the people for personal information. Step carefully and do not provide personal information that will lead to identity theft when dealing with such offers.
3. Report Fraudulent Activity: If one receives any calls or messages that seem to be suspicious, then the user can report cyber crimes to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal on www. cybercrime. gov. in or call on 1930. Such scams are reportable and assist the authorities in tracking and fighting the vice.
4. Educate Others : Always raise awareness among friends by sharing these kinds of scams. Educating people helps to avoid them falling prey to such fraudulent schemes.
5. Use Reliable Resources : Always refer to official sources or websites for any kind of offers or promotions.
Conclusion:
The free recharge scheme for 3 months with the logo of TRAI is a fraudulent scam. There is no official information from TRAI or in their official website about this free recharge scheme. Though the scheme looks attractive, it is deceptive. Through this, the scammers are trying to collect personal details of the individual. Before clicking any links, it is necessary to check the authenticity of the information, report these kinds of incidents to spread awareness among people. Always be safe and be vigilant.
