Fake News Outlet "Telangana News Today Daily" Spreads Misinformation About Telangana Politics
A wave of fabricated news articles attributed to a non-existent news outlet, "Telangana News Today Daily," is spreading misinformation across social media platforms, targeting prominent figures in Telangana’s political landscape. The articles, designed to mimic genuine news clippings, feature a fabricated logo and website links that lead to dead ends. A thorough investigation reveals that the outlet has no online presence, its domain name is unregistered, and it lacks any official registration with the Registrar of Newspapers for India. This fabricated source has been used to disseminate at least five distinct false narratives, each designed to stir controversy and potentially influence public opinion.
The first fabricated story alleges a conspiracy by the Kalvakuntla family, the family of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, to assassinate a former Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP). The fake news clipping attributes this claim to the former DCP himself, citing a purported letter as evidence. However, no credible news sources corroborate the existence of such a letter or any statement made by the DCP accusing the Kalvakuntla family. This fabrication appears to exploit a recent case filed against a BRS leader and the former DCP for alleged phone tapping, attempting to connect the two unrelated events to create a sensational narrative.
Another fabricated article targets KTR, the working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), claiming he instructed party members to incite chaos if he were to be arrested. This claim surfaced amidst an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the Formula-E race held in Hyderabad. The fake news clipping alleges that KTR issued these instructions via phone calls, which were subsequently leaked. However, an extensive search across reputable news platforms reveals no reports of such leaked phone calls or any credible evidence to support this claim. This fabricated story seeks to portray KTR as instigating violence and destabilizing the region.
The disinformation campaign also targets public figures outside of politics. A fake news clipping falsely claims that social media influencer Divvela Madhuri publicly declared KTR a close friend, alleging she met him through a film producer. Madhuri vehemently denies these claims, stating in a video interview that she has never met KTR and has no connection to Telangana politics. This fabrication appears aimed at creating a false association between Madhuri and KTR, potentially to damage her reputation or imply political connections where none exist.
Further fueling the spread of misinformation, a fabricated article attributed quotes to KTR regarding the arrest of actor Allu Arjun in connection with a stampede at a movie theatre. The fake clipping portrays KTR as minimizing the tragic incident and criticizing the arrest, alleging he prioritized the film industry’s interests over public safety. This contradicts KTR’s official statement on the matter, where he expressed sympathy for the victims while questioning the handling of Arjun’s arrest. The fabricated story aims to distort KTR’s position and paint him as insensitive and dismissive of public safety concerns.
The final fabricated story revolves around the film "Keshava Chandra Ramavath," released with the abbreviated title "KCR." A fake news clipping claims that actor Rocking Rakesh, involved in the film, admitted to receiving a substantial sum of money from KCR to produce a biopic glorifying the former Chief Minister. Rakesh categorically denies this claim, asserting that he never gave such an interview and highlighting the financial struggles he faced in releasing the film. This fabrication attempts to create a narrative of political influence and financial impropriety surrounding the film’s production.
The emergence of the "Telangana News Today Daily" as a source of fabricated news underscores the growing concern surrounding misinformation and its potential impact on public discourse and political processes. The consistent theme across these fabricated stories appears to be the targeting of key political figures in Telangana, particularly KTR and the Kalvakuntla family. The use of a fake news outlet adds a layer of deception, making it more challenging for individuals to discern fact from fiction. This incident highlights the critical need for media literacy and fact-checking to combat the spread of misinformation and protect the integrity of public information. The circulation of these fabricated stories demonstrates how easily false narratives can gain traction in the digital age, emphasizing the importance of vigilance and critical thinking when consuming information online.