Viral35.com – A photograph of a padlocked grave has been making the rounds on social media, with misleading claims linking it to the issue of rape and necrophilia in Pakistan. However, independent fact-checking website Alt News has revealed that the image is not from Pakistan but from a cemetery in Hyderabad, India.
Misleading Claims on Social Media
Ex-Muslim Harris Sultan initially shared the image on Twitter, claiming that the grave was padlocked because parents in Pakistan wanted to protect their deceased daughters from being raped. This prompted various media outlets across the border to run the story after Indian news agency Asian News International (ANI) tweeted the image with the same misleading claims.
Alt News Investigation
Alt News took it upon themselves to fact-check the story and screen-recorded the process of finding the cemetery from a mosque. They also reached out to a local social worker to verify the presence of the padlocked grave in the cemetery, and he provided photographs and video evidence disproving the false news.
Statement by Muazzin Muqtar
The social worker in question sought a statement from the mosque’s Muazzin Muqtar, who explained the actual facts surrounding the padlocked grave. According to him, the grave was constructed without the permission of the concerned committee and is located right in front of the entrance, blocking the pathway. Families put the grille there to prevent others from burying any more bodies in the limited space available.
The Importance of Fact-Checking
This incident highlights the importance of fact-checking and the negative consequences of spreading false news on social media. In this case, the misleading claims not only tarnished the image of Pakistan but also propagated misinformation that could have led to unnecessary fear and panic. It is crucial to verify news before sharing it on social media platforms to avoid perpetuating false narratives and potentially causing harm to individuals or communities.
