Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 30: Since the last some days, a video showing a person walking from in front of an aircraft at an airport getting sucked into the engine by the force of the suction of the jet engine of the aeroplane is doing the rounds in social websites including Facebook and Whatsapp. The video, which shows a person instantly vanishing due to the force of suction and turning into a fireball, is also accompanied by warning against callousness when going past aircraft from close quarters.

However, a verification of facts has now revealed that this video was fake. This is an example about misuse of social websites to spread misinformation. The video, which claimed to have been shot in an airport in the Gulf region, initially made several rounds. Thereafter, information spread that the person who died in the accident was a newly recruited employee of the airport from coastal Karnataka. Finally, there were claims that the victim was from Farangipet Ammemar in Pudu village, Bantwal taluk, which also brought out address and voter card details. A couple of elctronic media picked the threads of this information and transmitted the news.

Those who hit the trail of these pieces of information, found that the person whose photo was published thereof was Samshuddin living near Bantwal. His relatives confirmed that he is hale and healthy, and that he works in a shop at Farangipet. The concerned also found that such accidents can be least expected in advanced airports, and some mischief mongers had joined together video and information to mislead people into believing that the information was true.

It is gathered that authorities from the country where the above tragedy supposedly took place have clarified that no such accident has occurred in their country. This news could be verified and found to be false without much delay, as the person shown therein could be easily identified. The way in which social media is being manipulated and misused by people who perhaps want to get some entertainment out of it deserves severe condemnation.