KUMTA: A viral video claiming a railway track collapse near Mirjan in Kumta has sparked public concern amid recent landslides in Shirur and Wayanad. Authorities have confirmed the video is fake.

The video, circulating on social media, depicts earth collapsing under a railway track with water flowing rapidly beneath. Allegedly occurring on August 1, it warned of an oncoming train on the affected route. This led many citizens to contact railway stations for clarification.

Railway officials have assured the public that no such incident has occurred. They announced plans to take legal action against those spreading misinformation.

Vartha Bharati’s Investigation:

  1. Multiple Claims: A fact-check by Vartha Bharati revealed the video was shared on various social media platforms, including YouTube, with different locations cited. Some posts claimed it was from Rajasthan, others from Madhya Pradesh.
  2. Local Verification: Another claim suggested the video was from Mirjan near Kumta in Uttara Kannada district. However, local railway officials confirmed the video did not originate from Kumta and emphasized it was being used to incite panic. They reiterated their intent to pursue legal action against the perpetrators.
  3. Origin of the Video: Using Google Lens to search for screengrabs of the viral video, Vartha Bharati found numerous posts uploaded over the past month, each claiming different locations. Despite extensive searches, Vartha Bharati could not independently verify the video’s origin but confirmed it was not from Mirjan in Kumta.

Authorities urge people to rely on verified information and report suspicious content to prevent the spread of misinformation.