Viral: Fake Zee News graphic claims total lockdown from June 15

A screengrab of an alleged Zee News graphic has been shared on social media. The text on the graphic reads, “Home Minister indicates that after June 15 once again there could be a total lockdown. Train and air travel will be banned.” (Translated from 15 जून के बाद फिर से हो सकता है सम्पूर्ण लॉकडाउन गृह मंत्रालय ने दिये संकेत, ट्रेन और हवाई सफर पे लगेगा ब्रेक.)

Alt News received several requests to fact-check this on WhatsApp (+917600011160) and on our official Android application.

Morphed graphic

On June 9, Zee News shared a post on Facebook and wrote that the graphic circulating is fake. “A false news is being spread in the name of Zee News on social media. [Translated from सोशल मीडिया पर ZEE NEWS के नाम से एक झूठी खबर फैलाई जा रही है.]

In addition to this, Alt News compared the breaking news graphic on Zee Media from a June 11 bulletin available on YouTube (right) with the viral image (left). Evidently, the font style and size and the shade of the red background are different.

Thus a morphed Zee News graphic is viral on social media claiming that the Home Ministry had indicated that the country will be under complete lockdown from June 15. Had the government made any such announcement, it would have been covered by the media or an official declaration would have been made. The government-affiliated fact-check wing of PIB also tweeted that the news is false.

दावा: सोशल मीडिया पर फैलाई जा रही एक फोटो में दावा किया जा रहा है कि गृह मंत्रालय द्वारा ट्रेन और हवाई यात्रा पर प्रतिबंध के साथ 15 जून से देश में फिर से पूर्ण लॉकडाउन लागू किया जा सकता है।#PIBFactcheck– यह #Fake है। फेक न्यूज़ फैलाने वाली ऐसी भ्रामक फोटो से सावधान रहें। pic.twitter.com/DqmrDrcvSz

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) June 10, 2020

[Update: The genuine Zee News screengrab in the comparison collage has been altered with the format that was used in the viral graphic.]