The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check Unit (PIB FCU), a specialised wing under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting tasked with identifying and countering misinformation linked to Government of India departments and public sector undertakings, on Friday addressed a set of social media posts circulating online.

These posts claimed that an Indian Air Force aircraft had crashed in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, with multiple users sharing a video purporting to show the incident.

Viral posts cite Padder region, smoke and “blast” claims

According to the circulating claims, the crash was said to have taken place in the Padder or Dhar-Paddar area of Kishtwar.

Some posts described heavy smoke and a loud blast reportedly witnessed by locals in the mountainous region. One social media account further alleged that a “missile trail” was visible near the supposed crash site.

Additional posts attempted to reinforce the narrative by stating that this was the second major Indian Air Force incident in April 2026, referring to an earlier alleged Su-30 MKI crash at Pune Airport the previous week.

Images and video clips showing smoke rising from a hilly terrain were also widely shared, presented as visual evidence of the incident.

PIB fact check clarification on viral content

The PIB Fact Check Unit noted that the claim being circulated is FAKE.

It stated that the video and associated posts do not correspond to any verified incident involving the Indian Air Force.

The unit urged users not to circulate unverified videos or claims and advised reliance only on official sources for accurate information.

It also said that if such dubious content is encountered, it should be reported immediately at +91 8799711259 or via email at factcheck@pib.gov.in.