Fact Check: Viral images show Pakistani pilot captured by India during Operation Sindoor? No, here are the facts
On May 9, as per a media report, a Pakistani JF-17 fighter jet was reportedly shot down near the India-Pakistan border amid the tension between India and Pakistan. The pilot ejected and was subsequently captured by Indian security forces in the Lathi area of Rajasthan. Republic reported that a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet was also intercepted and shot down by India's S-400 air defence system, and that the pilot was captured by Indian forces in the Akhnoor district.
In the above context, a post with two images is going viral on social media; one image shows an army person with his eyes covered, and the other shows army personnel capturing a man at night.
The images are shared with a caption claiming that they show the arrest of a Pakistani pilot after his jet was downed during Operation Sindoor.
A social media user shared the images with a caption that reads, “First picture of the captured Pak Pilot! #IndiaPakistanWar #IndianArmy #OperationSindhoor #IndianArmy”
Fact Check
SouthCheck found that the claim is false. The viral images are old and unrelated to the ongoing skirmishes between the two nations.
Image 1:
The image shows a blindfolded army personnel with ‘Pakistan’ written on the left side of his t-shirt.
On a Google reverse image search, we found that a similar image was uploaded by a website, Srinagar News, on April 25. The image was shared with a report stating that BSF constable PK Singh inadvertently crossed into Pakistani territory near Ferozepur, Punjab, while assisting farmers and seeking shade. He was detained by Pakistan Rangers, who refused to release him despite multiple requests from India. The incident occurred amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.
We found the same image uploaded by The Tribune on April 28. The report stated that the wife of BSF constable PK Singh, detained by Pakistan Rangers after inadvertently crossing the border near Ferozepur, Punjab, has travelled to Punjab seeking updates on his return. Despite India’s repeated requests, Pakistan has not released Singh, prompting his wife’s visit to engage with BSF officials and advocate for his release. The incident has intensified tensions amid the ongoing India-Pakistan standoff.
We can see that the original photo does not have ‘Pakistan’ written on the t-shirt. It was digitally added to the image.
Hence, we conclude that the image does not show a Pakistani soldier captured by the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor.
Image 2
This image shows the moment a Pakistani pilot was arrested by the Indian Army after his jet was downed during Operation Sindoor.
On a Google reverse image search, we found that the same image was published by Getty Images with the caption, “Turkish millitary personnel arrive near a Turkish F16 war plane which crashed in Diyarbakir on December 12, 2016. A Turkish fighter jet crashed near an airport in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, the military said, but the pilot was able to safely eject from the plane. The cause of the crash was not immediately known but the government said an investigation had been launched.”
We compared the viral image with the above image and found that the viral image is cropped. We can see that in both images, the same army personnel are standing in the night.
Hence, we conclude that the claim is false.
