Fact Check: Foreign Image Misrepresented as Varanasi; Viral Claim Debunked

New Delhi (Vishvas News): A picture is going viral on various social media platforms, with claims that it is from Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The picture is being widely shared with claims that it represents the development of Varanasi.

Vishvas News investigated the viral post and found it to be fake. An old picture of a foreign country is being falsely circulated on social media as an image of Varanasi. This picture has no connection with Varanasi.

What Is Going Viral?

Facebook user ‘Salim Ahmed’ posted (archive link) a picture on 15th with the caption, “Apna Banaras Thank you modi ji.” The viral picture features two trains, with the caption ‘Gadauliya-Sonarpur’.

Vishvas News Investigation:

Vishvas News used Yandex tool to get more information about the viral photo. By uploading and searching the viral image, we found this picture at many places. The Facebook page ‘Ethiocarmarket’ posted this picture on August 25, 2019, stating it was from Germany (website link).

We also found this picture on a website, uploaded on May 2, 2015. During the search, we discovered that the train in the viral picture was also seen in the video of the suspension railway in Wouppertal, Germany.

Taking the investigation forward, Vishvas News reached out to Shashwat Mishra, Output Head of Dainik Jagran, Varanasi. He confirmed that the viral picture is not of Varanasi and it is a fake post.

Concluding our investigation, we scanned the Facebook profile of user Salim Ahmed and we discovered that more than seven thousand people follow him and he is a resident of Varanasi.