Pak-Based Handles Share Digitally Altered News Clipping with False Claim About INS Brahmaputra

On July 21, a fire broke out on the INS Brahmaputra, which was undergoing refit at the dockyard. The crew, alongside firefighters from the dockyard, managed to control the blaze by the morning of July 22.

Following the tragic incident, Pakistan’s social media handles have shared The Hindu newspaper cutting dated 26 July 2024, claiming that the headline reads “Initial Investigation points to ISI Involvement in INS Brahmaputra Fire”.

Fact Check

We investigated the viral claim. On close inspection, we found that the viral news clipping was dated 26 July 2024. Taking the clue, we checked for the e-newspaper of The Hindu dated 26 July 2024. During the process, we found that the front page headline read differently. The original newspaper clipping of The Hindu dated July 26, 2024, has the front-page headline “States have Unlimited Right to Tax Mineral-Rich Land.” A closer inspection revealed that the front-page article image was edited, with news about INS Brahmaputra digitally added by Pakistani handles. The original article, written by Krishnadas Rajagopal, quotes Chief Justice of India Chandrachud, not Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Below, we provide the comparative collage of the digitally altered news clipping to the original newspaper.

Conclusion

Thus, it is evident that the digitally edited news clipping of The Hindu featuring the INS Brahmaputra was shared by Pakistani media and X handles. The original headline does not mention any news about the INS Brahmaputra.

DFRAC Analysis: Misleading