Image of Man's Face Covered With Pellet Wounds Isn't From 2024 Farmers' Protests

Fact-check: An old image from Kashmir showing a wounded person is being falsely shared as from the ongoing farmers' protests.

(Photo: The Quint)

(Trigger Warning: Graphic visuals)

A photo showing a man's face covered with pellet wounds is going viral on social media with a claim that it shows a wounded farmer from Shambu or Khanori border who was injured during the ongoing 2024 farmers' protests.

An archive can be seen here.

(Source: X/Screenshot)

(Archives of similar claims can be seen here and here.)

What's the truth?: This image dates back to 2016 and is from Srinagar, Kashmir.

How did we find out the truth?: On performing a reverse image search on the viral photo, we came across news reports from 2016.

• The reports published by The News Indian Express and Times of India carried the same image and stated about the use of pellet guns in the unrest happening in Srinagar, Kashmir, in July 2016.

• One of the reports carried a caption that stated that the image shows Mohammad Imran Parray from Srinagar, who got wounded after being hit by pellets.

• The image was credited to the news agency Associated Press (AP).

This image is from 2016.

(Source: The New Indian Express/Screenshot)

• Taking a cue, we looked for the same image from AP's archives and found that the original version was shared on 13 July 2016.

• The image's description stated that Parray got hit by pellets during a protest.

• It added that this was during a huge protest that happened between 'anti-India' protesters and government troops after government troops killed a top leader of Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest rebel group fighting Indian rule in the troubled Himalayan region.

This image is from Kashmir.

(Source: AP/Screenshot)

Conclusion: An old image from Kashmir showing a wounded person is being falsely shared as from the ongoing farmers' protests.

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