An old video showing Indian security forces in action is being widely circulated on social media with the false claim that it depicts the Indian Army’s response to the recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. In reality, the video shows a counter-terrorism operation conducted in Kokernag, Anantnag district, in May 2021, during which Indian forces engaged and neutralized three terrorists. This unrelated footage is now being falsely promoted as evidence of a swift response to the recent attack, fueling misinformation amid sensitive circumstances.
An influencer account @KumaarSaagar, posted this clip, claiming:
“जिस घर से आतंकी निकलेगा उस घर में घुस कर मारेंगे” (“We will enter and kill anyone from the house where a terrorist comes from”).
spreading misinformation violence and fear, misleading viewers and fueling communal tension on social media.
Same video clip posted by @SonOfBharat7 with the claim:
आतंकियों की पनाहगार को जला डाला… अब इन्हे बाहर निकालने में. वक्त नहीं खराब करेंगे जिस घर में अफजल दिखेगा उस घर को राख बनाएंगे (“We have burnt the terrorists’ hideout… now we won’t waste time bringing them out. Any house where Afzal is seen will be reduced to ashes.”)
It has been posted by several other people , including popular accounts like @meriteshkashyap and @amityxyz93, They have falsely claimed that it shows Indian soldiers taking revenge on those behind the Pahalgam incident.
The truth behind the viral video shared as Pahalgam:
As the video started gaining traction online. The D-Intent Data team stepped in to investigate. we carefully went through the footage frame by frame, using reverse image and keyframe search tools—we discovered that it originally came from a YouTube video published by Excelsior News on May 12, 2021, titled “Kokernag Encounter: Militants Made Abortive Bid To Escape Before Being Killed.
As we looked further, we found a tweet from @KashmirPolice, posted on May 11, 2021, confirming an active encounter in Vailoo, Kokernag, where one terrorist was killed. This evidence clearly shows the video is from a 2021 operation in Anantnag and has no link to the recent Pahalgam incident.
#AnantnagEncounterUpdate: 01 #terrorist killed. #Operation going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice https://t.co/mirW6UW68J
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) May 11, 2021
This video has nothing to do with the latest events in Jammu & Kashmir and is being spread to provoke public emotions during a sensitive time.
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— D-Intent Data (@dintentdata) April 25, 2025
ANALYSIS: Misleading
FACT: An old video showing security forces targeting terrorists is being circulated with the claim that it captures the Indian Army's response to the recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/Zy6IEKD9Ix
Intent:
Influencers and anonymous accounts are recycling old videos with sensational and misleading claims to gain attention and fuel outrage on social media. This trend contributes to confusion and misinformation during sensitive national events.
Conclusion:
Claim: Viral video shows Indian Army’s response to the recent Pahalgam attack.
Fact: The video is from a 2021 encounter in Kokernag, Anantnag, and is unrelated to any recent incident. Social media users are spreading misinformation using old footage.
Related Article: Fact Check: Video of Azerbaijani influencer falsely linked to Pahalgam terrorist attack – D-Intent Data
