Recently, PM Narendra Modi said that the meaning of the word ‘Abhinandan’ will forever change for us Indians. And his statement has indeed proved to be true. Ever since the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman via Attari-Wagah border, his name has been associated with courage and valour.
Apart from the praises and celebrations, his name has also given rise to other developments. Families are now naming newborns after him while Bollywood producers are scrambling to register it as a movie title.
But the most concerning trend of all is that many fake accounts have popped up on social media in the name of the IAF pilot.
Government sources confirm that this is a fake Twitter account #AbhinandanVarthaman pic.twitter.com/4mxahDz7Gn
— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2019
According to a Hindustan Times report, a police complaint has been registered against a resident of Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, for circulating news shared by one such fake handle. These accounts have also been sharing fake news meant to misinform and dupe people.
The Indian Air Force has issued a warning against them and urged people not to follow or believe the posts shared by these accounts.
#FAKE ACCOUNTS : Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman does not have a social media account on any portal (Facebook /Instagram /Twitter). Please avoid following any fake accounts being used in the name of any IAF Airwarrior for spreading misinformation.
Jai Hind!!! pic.twitter.com/nG8C7ZUkQ6— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 6, 2019
Cashing in on a brave soldier’s popularity to spread fake information on the internet is a terrible endeavour. If you see any of these fake accounts, make sure you report them so that they can be taken down at the earliest.