Jet crash in Himalayas, drone attack on gurudwara & flight route shutdown: PIB debunks fake claims

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor — India's retaliatory strike after the Pahalgam terror attack — a surge of misinformation has emerged on social media, primarily from pro-Pakistani accounts. In response, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India has actively countered these false narratives. Here are some of the latest misleading claims the PIB has identified and debunked.

1. IAF jets crashed in Himalayas
A 2016 photograph is being shared by pro-Pakistani handles with claims that three Indian Air Force jets crashed in the Himalayas. One such post from an account named ‘Shakeel Ahmed’ alleged that local sources told Reuters about the crashes. PIB clarified that the image is outdated and unrelated to current events.

2. Cyber attack crippled 70% of India’s power grid
A false claim is circulating that a cyberattack by Pakistan rendered 70 per cent of India’s electricity grid dysfunctional. PIB labelled the claim as fake, noting that it was allegedly attributed to the Pakistan Army without any credible source.

3. Drone attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara
A video falsely claims that India carried out a drone strike on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan. PIB confirmed that the video is fabricated and intended to incite communal tension, urging the public to remain cautious and not share such content.

4. Delhi–Mumbai flight route shut down
Social media posts claimed that services on the Delhi–Mumbai airline route were temporarily suspended due to Indo-Pak tensions. PIB clarified that this is false. The Airports Authority of India has only closed 25 segments of Air Traffic Service routes in Delhi and Mumbai FIRs for operational reasons. A forged note falsely attributed to NDTV has been circulating this misinformation.

5. Indian Army post destroyed
A video being shared online suggests that an Indian Army post was destroyed following recent events. PIB clarified that the footage is old and unrelated to Operation Sindoor, originally uploaded to YouTube in November 2020.

6. Explosions at Jaipur airport
Claims of explosions at Rajasthan’s Jaipur Airport have also gone viral. However, the Jaipur District Collector and Magistrate issued an official statement confirming that the news is entirely false and that the airport is fully secure.

7. Explosions near Srinagar airport
An Al Jazeera English report claimed that around 10 explosions occurred near Srinagar Airport in J&K. PIB denied this, calling the report fake and urging the public to rely only on verified, official sources for information.

8. Indian soldiers crying and abandoning posts
A widely circulated video claims that Indian soldiers are seen crying and leaving their posts amid war tensions. PIB clarified that originally posted on April 27, the video shows students from a private defence coaching centre celebrating their selection into the Indian Army — not active-duty soldiers.

9. Muslim arson in Delhi
Another misleading video claims that Indian Muslims have started arson in Delhi. PIB debunked this, clarifying that the footage is from a fire incident at Delhi Haat market in INA on April 30, 2025. The bureau called the claim part of a deliberate attempt to disturb communal harmony.

10. Pakistani attack on Jammu
A video being passed off as footage of a Pakistani attack on Jammu is also fake. PIB traced the video to Dhaka, recorded in February 2025, and confirmed it has no connection to any military activity in India.