Skip to main content

PeakMetrics / Fact Checks

Has this been
fact-checked?

Paste a claim or upload an image to find existing fact checks. See what fact-checkers found and read the evidence before you share.

Search fact checks ↓API & integrations ↗

Browse by topic

Explore fact checks by subject.

Latest fact checks

98,043 published reviews
FACTLY

Video of a news reporter slapping a District Magistrate (DM) for not following the rules at Maha Kumbh Mela.

Publisher’s rating: FALSE

The claim concerns a viral video said to show a news reporter slapping a District Magistrate at the Maha Kumbh Mela for entering by car despite rules restricting access. FACTLY’s review concludes that the footage does not show a real incident: it says the video was scripted by YouTuber Harsh Rajput, who plays a reporter in staged videos. The review’s conclusion directly addresses the video and the alleged encounter, rather than merely discussing rule enforcement at the event. FACTLY says it used reverse image search to locate a full-length version of the footage on Rajput’s verified YouTube channel. It reports that the video, titled “MAHAKUMBH | HARSH RAJPUT,” was uploaded on 12 February 2025, and that visuals at 4:18 match the viral clip. The review further says that the person holding the microphone is not a real reporter and that the episode is a sketch made for entertainment. The review points to a disclaimer at the beginning of the full-length video, at 0:04, as evidence of the staged nature of the scene. That context changes the meaning of the apparent confrontation: the video depicts scripted entertainment, not a reporter disciplining an actual District Magistrate. FACTLY therefore rates the claim False.

Where the data comes from

Fact checks come from Data Commons and link to the organizations that published them.

What you’ll find

Each result links to the original fact check. Open it to read the publisher’s findings, with summaries and supporting sources where available.

Report an error

To report an error, send the page URL and supporting evidence.