Fact Check: Viral Claim of Khalistani Attack on Indian Army Convoy in Punjab is Misleading

A viral video circulating on social media shows an army vehicle engulfed in flames, with soldiers offloading luggage on the roadside. The accompanying claim alleges that “Khalistani Sikhs threw a Molotov cocktail on an Indian Army convoy passing through Indian-occupied Punjab, setting a truck on fire. Free Punjab Zindabad.”

Fact Check

Upon investigation, this claim was found to be misleading. A Twitter account named ColAC had shared the same video in 2023.

Using this as a lead, a reverse image and keyword search led to a report published by Amar Ujala on May 4, 2023. According to the report, the incident occurred near Dakha on the Ludhiana-Firozpur national highway in Punjab, when a truck from an Indian Army war exercise convoy caught fire. The fire, possibly caused by a mechanical issue such as a cylinder rubbing against the road, led to the destruction of goods inside the vehicle but resulted in no injuries. Army personnel managed to extinguish the fire before the arrival of the fire brigade. The report makes no mention of any attack, including by Khalistani groups or any other extremist elements.

Conclusion

The viral claim that a Khalistani attack caused the army truck fire is misleading. Verified reports confirm that the fire was accidental and not the result of any targeted assault.