As the farmers' protests continued into their third week, a photo purportedly showing former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni at a gurudwara went viral with claims that it was taken during the ongoing protests. However, a fact-check reveals that the photo is two years old, dating back to 2022, and was taken in London, England.
Misleading claim circulates
Social media users began sharing the photo, suggesting that Dhoni visited the gurudwara amid the farmers' protests, lauding him for upholding secular values. However, India TV's Fact Check team investigated the matter and traced the origins of the photo.
Screenshot of the post suggesting that MS Dhoni visited the gurudwara amid the farmers' protests.
Origins of the photo
The viral photo was traced back to an Instagram user named Gurpreet Singh Anand, who shared a similar image in 2022. Anand, identified as the president of Khalsa Jatha British Isles, posted about meeting Dhoni at the London Gurudwara in October 2022. Further comparison with Anand's Instagram posts and media reports confirmed the photo's authenticity and its London location.
False context exposed
Despite claims circulating on social media, there is no credible evidence of Dhoni visiting any gurudwara recently. Media reports from 2022 confirm Dhoni's presence in London during the period when the photo was taken, debunking the notion of a recent visit amid the farmers' protests.
Screenshot of post of Instagram user named Gurpreet Singh Anand.
Conclusion
The circulating photo of Dhoni at a gurudwara is not recent but from 2022, captured during his visit to London. The claim associating it with the ongoing farmers' protests is false and misleading.
Also read | FACT CHECK: PM Modi's hand wave clarified - not to fish, but to waiting boatmen | Here's the truth
