"Massive accident in the capital Lucknow at 3:00 am on 26/12/2024, lakhs (hundreds of thousands) of people have died and thousands injured," reads Hindi-language text on an Instagram video shared on December 27.
The clip, which was viewed more than 3,000 times, shows the smouldering wreck of a train carriage piled up on a burning compartment. Rescue workers appear to be examining the wreckage and preparing to extinguish the flames.
The video made the rounds in similar posts on Facebook and Instagram, with many social media users appearing to believe it showed a genuine train crash.
"Sad news, who is to blame for this?" one commented.
Another wrote: "This is the result of government's corruption; the common man suffers."
India has one of the world's largest rail networks and has seen several disasters over the years (archived link).
The worst occurred in 1981 when a train derailed while crossing a bridge in Bihar state, killing an estimated 800 people.
Nearly 300 people were killed in a three-train collision in Odisha state in June 2023, when a packed passenger train...
Since emerging as the country’s nominated top health official in January, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spread 12 provably false health claims in government hearings, media appearances, and on social ...