On social media, a post from New York airport has gone viral. While sharing the post, users wrote, “Ajay Mishra was fined $85 at New York airport for defecating in public. He is an IT specialist and came to the USA on an H1B visa.”
Fact Check
During the investigation, DFRAC found the claim to be false. We found multiple media reports regarding the post. According to a ‘CNA’ report with a similar image published on September 19, 2024, “Indian national Ramu Chinnarasa, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of defecating in a public place under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations. The court heard that Ramu, who was in Singapore on a work permit, drank three bottles of hard liquor on October 29 last year.”
Furthermore, we also found a report from Hindustan Times published on September 19, 2024, which states, “A 37-year-old Indian construction worker was fined S$400 (approximately ₹25,000) for defecating outside the entrance of The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, last year. Ramu Chinnarasa appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to one charge under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations.”
Conclusion
It is evident from DFRAC’s fact check that the viral post claiming Ajay Mishra was fined at New York airport for defecating in public is false. The incident in question actually involved an Indian national named Ramu Chinnarasa, who was fined in Singapore, not in New York.
