Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Ruby leads editorial, operations and initiatives at Newschecker. In her former avatar at New Delhi Television (NDTV), India’s leading national news network, she was a news anchor, supervising producer and senior output editor. Her over a decade-long career encompasses ground-breaking reportage from conflict zones and reporting on terror incidents, election campaigns, and gender issues. Ruby is an Emmy-nominated producer and has handled both local and international assignments, including the coverage of Arab Spring in 2011, the US Presidential elections in 2016, and ground reportage on the Kashmir issue since 2009.
Claim
Islamists replace the Ashok Chakra with the crescent-star on the national flag. This is on the Howrah Bridge, Kolkata.
An archive copy of the same tweet can be seen here.
Newschecker also received the same claim on our WhatsApp tipline (+91 9999499044), requesting it to be fact checked.
Fact
We conducted a keyword search on Facebook and found that the video had been shared by multiple social media users. We noticed a comment on one such post by a user, pointing out that the video showed the Kankinara bridge in Bhatpara, North 24 Parganas.
Taking this as a clue, we searched Facebook using relevant keywords and found a Bengali page named “Kankinara Maane”, dedicated to Kankinara. We found the same video posted by the page on June 28th 2023, with a Bengali caption that reads, ” This is a viral video of Kankinara bridge.
We then looked at the images of Kankinara bridge on Google maps and found a user generated 360 degree image of the bridge.
We tried to match the frames seen in the viral video with the 360 degree view on Google maps and found that we could locate the same building, a tower and a tree beside the railway line on both the images.
Newschecker then contacted local journalist Deepak Debnath, who confirmed that the viral video indeed showed the Kankinara bridge in Bhatpara area in North 24 Parganas.
Newschecker also reached out to Alok Rajoria, Commissioner of Barrackpore, under whose jurisdiction Kankinara falls. The IPS officer confirmed to us that the video was indeed from Kankinara. “We are inquiring into who put this flag there. At present there is no flag”.
Hence, we can confirm that the viral video does not show the iconic Howrah Bridge but the Kankinara bridge of North 24 Parganas.
Result: Partly False
Sources
FB post by Kankinara Maane, dated June 28, 2023
Image seen on Google maps, 360 view
Telephone conversation with journalist Deepak Debnath
WhatsApp communication with Barrackpore commissioner Alok Rajoria
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Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Ruby leads editorial, operations and initiatives at Newschecker. In her former avatar at New Delhi Television (NDTV), India’s leading national news network, she was a news anchor, supervising producer and senior output editor. Her over a decade-long career encompasses ground-breaking reportage from conflict zones and reporting on terror incidents, election campaigns, and gender issues. Ruby is an Emmy-nominated producer and has handled both local and international assignments, including the coverage of Arab Spring in 2011, the US Presidential elections in 2016, and ground reportage on the Kashmir issue since 2009.
