Nagpur: A young man from Budhla village in the Kalmeshwar Tehsil of Nagpur district was arrested by the police on Friday for making viral a fake video of a lion sighting in the area. The residents of the tehsil had been having sleepless nights for the past two days since the video went viral on social media.
The Forest Department has filed a complaint with the Kalmeshwar Police regarding the spread of rumours on social media which led to the arrest of the accused, identified as Pratap Amarlal Madavi (27), a resident of Budhla village. Madavi has been booked under Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code for his role in creating panic by sharing a fabricated video.
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29 April 2025
According to police, Madavi claimed to have encountered a lion and urged citizens to be vigilant in the Budhla village area in the video. The video quickly went viral on various social media platforms, including WhatsApp. It caused widespread fear among local residents. Many residents forwarded the video to their friends and relatives and even called others to exercise caution.
Officials from the Forest Department led by Conservator of Forest Katol (Additional Charge), P R Shirpurkar and Forest Range Officer Bagde initiated an investigation. The investigation revealed that the video was fabricated with no factual basis. As a result, the Forest Department officials lodged a complaint with the police and Madavi was taken into custody for further questioning.
Officials from both the Police Department and the Forest Department have urged citizens to exercise caution and adhere to the law when using social media. They have warned that strict actions will be taken against anti-socials found indulged in spreading false information.
