AI-Manipulated Video Falsely Claims Palki Sharma Linked India To Killing of Bangladeshi Student Leader

A video circulating on social media claims that senior journalist Palki Sharma reported India’s alleged involvement in the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a Bangladeshi student leader whose death triggered protests in Bangladesh.

In the clip, Sharma is purportedly heard saying that India has a history of cross-border targeted killings and may be linked to Hadi’s death, drawing comparisons with the killing of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

Evidence

Original Video Does Not Support the Viral Claim

Newschecker traced the visuals used in the viral clip to a video published on Firstpost’s official YouTube channel on December 19, titled “Indian ‘Speared’ to Death by Bangladeshi Patrol Boat.”

In the original report, senior journalist Palki Sharma discusses rising tensions between India and Bangladesh amid political instability in the neighbouring country. The segment focuses on the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government and its alleged role in fuelling anti-India sentiment through provocative political rhetoric.

Sharma also refers to a fatal incident involving an Indian fisherman and notes India’s response to border-related incidents, including legal detentions by the Indian Coast Guard.

She further raises questions about the fairness of upcoming elections in Bangladesh, particularly in the context of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party preparing for the return of its exiled leader, Tariq Rahman.

Significantly, Sharma does not mention Sharif Osman Hadi, his killing, India’s alleged involvement, or any claims related to cross-border targeted killings in the original video.

Audio Discrepancies Indicate Manipulation

A frame by frame comparison of the original Firstpost video and the viral clip confirms that the background, camera angle, and on-screen visuals are identical. This establishes that the viral content was sourced directly from Sharma’s report.

However, a closer examination of the viral clip reveals clear inconsistencies between Sharma’s lip movements and the words being heard. In several instances, the spoken audio does not align with the visible mouth movements. Additionally, the tone and inflection of the voice differ noticeably from Sharma’s known speaking style, further raising suspicion.

These inconsistencies strongly indicate that an artificial voiceover was digitally overlaid onto authentic footage, a technique commonly used in AI-driven misinformation.

Deepfake Detection Tools Confirm AI-Generated Audio

To independently verify the authenticity of the audio, Newschecker analysed the viral clip using multiple deepfake detection tools.

The Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector rated the audio an authenticity score of just 4 out of 100, suggesting an extremely high likelihood that the voice was artificially generated.

The clip was also tested using the DeepFake-O-Meter developed by the University at Buffalo’s Media Forensics Lab. Two of its analytical outputs rated the audio as 82.1 percent and 70.9 percent likely to be AI-generated, further confirming that the sound track in the viral video had been manipulated.

Bangladesh Police Rule Out Cross-Border Involvement

Speaking at an emergency press conference at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Additional Inspector General of Police Khandaker Rafiqul Islam stated that there is no concrete evidence suggesting the attackers crossed into India.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent student leader was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw in the Puratan Paltan area of Dhaka. He was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18.

Also Read: AI-Manipulated Videos Falsely Claim To Show Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt Criticising Nitish Kumar Over Hijab Row

Verdict

The viral video falsely attributes statements to journalist Palki Sharma by using AI-manipulated audio over authentic footage. She did not claim that India was involved in the targeted killing in Bangladesh.

FAQ

1- Did Palki Sharma accuse India of killing Sharif Osman Hadi?

No. There is no such statement in her original reporting. The viral clip uses AI-generated audio.

2- Where is the original video from?
The visuals are from a Firstpost report published on December 19 titled “Indian ‘Speared’ to Death by Bangladeshi Patrol Boat.”

Sources

Firstpost YouTube video, December 19, 2025
United News of Bangladesh (UNB) report,December 21, 2025
Al Jazeera report, December 19, 2025
Hiya Deepfake Voice Detector analysis
DeepFake-O-Meter, University at Buffalo Media Forensics Lab