#FactCheck-Old Maharashtra Video of Dancing Policemen Falsely Linked to West Bengal Election Results
Executive Summary
A video showing police personnel dancing on the streets along with civilians is going viral on social media. The clip is being shared with the claim that policemen in West Bengal were celebrating the defeat of Mamata Banerjee and the victory of the BJP.
Research by CyberPeace Research Wing found that the claim is misleading. The viral video is old and unrelated to the West Bengal elections.
Claim
An X user shared the video on April 26, 2026, alleging that police personnel were celebrating BJP’s victory. The post questioned those raising concerns over EVMs, suggesting that even police were openly rejoicing over the election outcome.
- https://x.com/Minakshishriyan/status/2051490074957930510
- https://archive.is/d81OT
Fact Check
To verify the claim, we extracted keyframes from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search. This led us to a Reddit post dated September 13, 2022, where the same video was shared. The post described it as footage from Ganesh Visarjan celebrations in India, and several users in the comments identified the location as Maharashtra.
Further research led us to a YouTube channel “Yash Arate Vlogs,” which uploaded the same video on September 10, 2022. The description stated that the clip was recorded during Ganpati immersion celebrations in Kolhapur.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0_w5t-4rmTY
We also found media reports from September 2022 indicating that during Ganesh Visarjan in Kolhapur, loud music and festive atmosphere led even on-duty police personnel to briefly join the celebrations.
Conclusion
Our research confirms that the viral video does not show any post-election celebration in West Bengal. It is an old clip from Maharashtra, recorded during Ganesh Visarjan festivities, and is being falsely shared with a misleading political claim.
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Executive Summary
A video is being widely shared on social media showing soldiers carrying coffins with full military honours. Users are claiming that the footage shows the bodies of American soldiers who were killed in the war with Iran being brought back to the United States.
However, research by the CyberPeacefound the viral claim to be misleading. Our research revealed that the video has no connection to the recent Iran-Israel conflict. The footage actually dates back to December 2025, when an Islamic State gunman in Syria killed two US soldiers and a US civilian.
Following that incident, the bodies of the victims were transported with military honours, and the ceremony was recorded in the viral video. The clip is now being circulated online with a false claim.
Claim
On March 1, 2026, an Instagram user shared the viral video claiming that it shows the bodies of American soldiers returning to the US after being killed in the war against Iran. The caption of the post reads: “Bodies of American soldiers martyred against Iran are returning to the United States. War always brings destruction, which we are now witnessing.”
The link to the post and its archived version can be seen below.
Fact check
To verify the claim, we extracted key frames from the viral video and performed a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the search, we found the full version of the video in a report published by BBC on December 18, 2025. This confirms that the footage predates the current developments.
According to the BBC report, US President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony for two members of the US National Guard and a US civilian who were killed in Syria. The somber ceremony took place at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, United States. The US Central Command (Centcom) stated that the two soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in an ambush carried out by an Islamic State (IS) gunman in Syria. The US Army identified the two soldiers as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar (25) of Des Moines and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard (29) of Marshalltown. A US civilian interpreter, Ayad Mansoor Sakat, was also killed in the attack. Officials said that three other service members were injured during the attack, and the gunman was engaged and killed. Syria’s state media also reported that two Syrian security personnel were injured in the incident.
Further research led us to a report published on the News Nation YouTube channel on December 18, 2025, which also featured the same footage related to the incident.
Conclusion
Our research found that the viral video is not related to the recent Iran-Israel conflict. The footage dates back to December 2025, when two US soldiers and a US civilian were killed in an Islamic State attack in Syria. The video shows the dignified transfer of their remains and is now being shared on social media with a misleading claim.
Introduction:
The Indian Ministry of Communications has come up with a feature known as "Quick SMS Header Information" to provide citizens with more control over their messaging services. This feature would help users access crucial information about the sender through text message, therefore making the details readily available at their fingertips.
The Quick SMS Header service is the key to providing users with the feature to ensure that they are receiving messages from the correct source. Users can instantly learn all the necessary data about the sender of a certain SMS. This data is invaluable for making the distinction between real messages and suspicious spam or phishing, so the user can have a higher level of defense against online threats and scam activities.
Importance of Checking the Header:
1. Authenticity Verification: SMS header data represents another way to confirm the sender. This feature keeps the end user from wrongly assuming that the SMS is from a trusted source or an unknown sender. Hence, the end user is able to make a choice about the authenticity of the message.
2. Mitigating Spam and Phishing: The rise of SMS and phishing scams has created some significant hurdles for users in the process of differentiating between real and fake messages. Through the Quick SMS Header Information service, people will be able to look up any suspicious messages in order to be able to take appropriate steps to prevent links that lead to malicious websites or requests for personal information.
3. Enhancing User Security: The SMS header information plays an important role in ensuring that the user is secure and has no privacy issues. The checking of the message headers will help us limit the possibilities of bad activities and reduce the chances of being a victim of cybercriminals.
4. Empowering Consumer Awareness: This feature is designed to encourage the people involved to take responsibility for the security of their devices and establish a safer and more dependable digital platform.
Benefits:
- Enhanced Transparency: By giving access to the header information to the users, it is transparency that is promoted within the telecommunications ecosystem.
- Empowered Decision-Making: Now that users have information about the SMS header, they can make informed decisions regarding their communications and privacy.
- Efficient Resolution of Concerns: The Quick SMS Header Information serves the purpose of providing the needed resolution by telling us the message’s origin in cases where users come across any suspicious messages.
- User-Friendly Interface: With its easy and clear process, this feature caters to users of all technical proficiency levels, ensuring accessibility for all.
Working:
1. Compose Your SMS: Write a message with the header you wish to find the information about. For example, if you want to know details about a header labeled "SBIINB," your SMS should be in the format "DETAILS OF SBIINB." Note, all letters are in capital only.
2. Send it to 1909: Once your message is ready, send it to: 1909. Please note, this may charge you depending upon your current plan.
3. Receive Response: The response to your SMS will be sent to you by the concerned telecommunication service provider or directly by 1909, a few seconds after you have sent your message. This response will have the data associated with the header above.
Another method to find SMS header information:
TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has made a tool on the webpage (https://smsheader.trai.gov.in/) to check for the SMS header associated with the message.
TRAI has also mandated header registration for messages pertaining to transactional or promotional purposes. This has helped people identify the SMS header by simply looking into the database as made by TRAI.
Steps:
1. Go to https://smsheader.trai.gov.in/. The page looks like as shown below:
2. Enter your Email, Name and complete the captcha under the Download/View Header Details and click on continue
3. Enter the OTP received on your email with the captcha and click on continue
4. Now enter your SMS header in the format of AA-AAAA, where “AA” is your prefix and “AAAA” is your header name. For example, we have taken “AX-HDFCBK” as our sample header, so “AX” is our prefix and “HDFCBK” is our header name.
5. As soon as we press enter, the site returns the query with the information of the header, as shown below
Conclusion:
The importance of checking SMS headers is something that simply cannot be overemphasized. This is the principal procedure for identifying incoming messages as authentic, and on that basis, the users are able to make informed choices about the messages they receive. It also contributes to the rise of user safety and privacy.
The development of more transparent controls and a stronger decision-making process will make it easier for users to handle their digital lives. The Quick SMS Header Information service is easy and convenient to use, as its interface is simple and understandable for users of all technical levels.
In addition to this, TRAI's attempt to make available an online tool for the maintenance of a comprehensive database of SMS headers strengthens its position towards ensuring security for its users in the telecommunications sector.
Executive Summary:
A viral post on X (formerly Twitter) has been spreading misleading captions about a video that falsely claims to depict severe wildfires in Los Angeles similar to the real wildfire happening in Los Angeles. Using AI Content Detection tools we confirmed that the footage shown is entirely AI-generated and not authentic. In this report, we’ll break down the claims, fact-check the information, and provide a clear summary of the misinformation that has emerged with this viral clip.
Claim:
A video shared across social media platforms and messaging apps alleges to show wildfires ravaging Los Angeles, suggesting an ongoing natural disaster.
Fact Check:
After taking a close look at the video, we noticed some discrepancy such as the flames seem unnatural, the lighting is off, some glitches etc. which are usually seen in any AI generated video. Further we checked the video with an online AI content detection tool hive moderation, which says the video is AI generated, meaning that the video was deliberately created to mislead viewers. It’s crucial to stay alert to such deceptions, especially concerning serious topics like wildfires. Being well-informed allows us to navigate the complex information landscape and distinguish between real events and falsehoods.
Conclusion:
This video claiming to display wildfires in Los Angeles is AI generated, the case again reflects the importance of taking a minute to check if the information given is correct or not, especially when the matter is of severe importance, for example, a natural disaster. By being careful and cross-checking of the sources, we are able to minimize the spreading of misinformation and ensure that proper information reaches those who need it most.
- Claim: The video shows real footage of the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, California
- Claimed On: X (Formerly Known As Twitter)
- Fact Check: Fake Video
