Video of crowded railway station fake, say cops

Kolkata: The state police has marked a viral video of passengers waiting for a train at a West Bengal railway station as fake. After the suburban train services started on November 11, the video was being circulated through social media claiming to showcase the present scene at the railway station post resumption of services.

According to the state police officials, the video footage was posted on Facebook on September 24, 2018. Police claimed that the video was shot on September 23, 2018, from the footbridge of Ranaghat railway station.

It was recorded on the day when the recruitment test for constables in the state police was scheduled.

The state police on Saturday tweeted: "An old video of Ranaghat Station, Nadia of 23.9.2018 is being circulated on WhatsApp and FB as of the present situation of a railway Station in West Bengal.

There was a large crowd on that day because of some examination. Legal action is being initiated."

The video footage was mainly being circulated on WhatsApp. As soon as the video was found to be fake, police started tracing the sender who had posted it on Facebook as well.

Earlier this month, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also raised an alarm suspecting that circulation of fake news may increase.

She had urged police to continue their crackdown on fake news ahead of the election.

Later on November 9, Kolkata Police initiated an FIR against a professor of Delhi identified as Madhu Purnima Kishwar for allegedly posting a video of Bangladesh and claiming to be of Kolkata's.