Did Army Chief Announce Sonam Wangchuk’s ‘Custodial Death’? No, Viral Video Is Doctored

A video circulating online claims that Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi expressed “deep regret at the passing of Sonam Wangchuk while he was in state custody.” The activist was arrested under the National Security Act following violent clashes in Ladakh on September 24.

Also Read: Fake Screenshot Falsely Claims Gautam Gambhir Announced Resignation As Team India Head Coach

Evidence

No Credible Reports of Wangchuk’s Death or Army Chief’s Statement

Searches for keywords such as “Sonam Wangchuk death” and “Army Chief” returned no reliable reports. Additionally, no announcement regarding Wangchuk’s death appears on the X account of his wife, Gitanjali Angmo.

Original Video Shows a Different Context

A reverse image search led to a YouTube video by WION, whose watermark is seen in the viral footage, dated November 27, 2025, showing General Dwivedi at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue. In this original clip, he speaks about reforms and readiness during Operation Sindoor, not about Wangchuk.

The full livestream of his address also contains no mention of the activist.

WION later confirmed on X that it “has not produced, aired, or posted this video”, disowning the viral clip.

 Signs of AI Manipulation

Closer examination revealed smudging around the Army Chief’s mouth and the audio did not match his usual speech pattern or tone.

Multiple AI-detection tools flagged the audio as fake:

• Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector: Likely deepfake
• Resemble AI: Fake
• Deepfake-o-meter: 4 out of 5 detectors indicated high AI likelihood

PIB Fact Check Debunks the Claim

Terming the video as “fake,” the Government’s PIB Fact Check unit confirmed that “The Chief of the Army Staff has made NO such statement.”

Also Read: No, COAS General Dwivedi Did Not Say Arunachal Should Be Given to China

Verdict

The viral video is AI-manipulated, and the claim about General Upendra Dwivedi expressing regret over Sonam Wangchuk’s “death” is completely false.

FAQs

Q1. Did the Army Chief comment on Sonam Wangchuk’s death?
No. The Army Chief made no such statement, and there is no report of Wangchuk’s death.

Q2. Is Sonam Wangchuk alive?
Yes. There are no credible reports suggesting otherwise.

Q3. How do we know the video is manipulated?
AI-detection tools flagged the audio as fake, and visual distortions indicated mouth-area tampering.

Q4. Did WION publish the viral video?
No. WION confirmed that it did not create, air, or upload the video.

Sources
YouTube Video By WION, Dated November 27, 2025
X Post By WION, Dated November 27, 2025
X Post By PIB Fact Check, Dated November 27, 2025
Resemble AI Website
Deepfake-o-meter Website
Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector