AI-generated fake tiger attack videos spark public panic in Maharashtra
AI-generated videos falsely depicting tiger attacks in Maharashtra's Chandrapur district went viral on social media, causing public panic despite no attacks occurring. Forest officials confirmed the videos were fabricated and initiated action against the Mumbai-based social media user responsible.
What happened
A 15-second video purporting to show a tiger attacking and dragging a man near the Brahmapuri Forest Guest House in Chandrapur district went viral on social media on October 31, 2025. The video, posted by a Mumbai-based social media user, was timestamped as CCTV footage from the forest rest house and garnered over 146,600 views.
The forest department confirmed the video was AI-generated and no such tiger attack occurred. Two weeks prior, another AI-generated video of a man petting a tiger claimed to be from Pench had also circulated online.
Reported impact
Forest officials stated such fabricated videos can aggravate public anxiety, particularly given that human-wildlife conflict claimed 38 lives in tiger and other predator attacks in Chandrapur during 2025. The false content was described as created to provoke unrest through social media.
Officials warned that spreading fake wildlife-related content during periods of heightened human-wildlife conflict can have serious legal consequences under cyber and wildlife protection laws.
Index analysis
The AI-generated video mimicked CCTV footage by including a date stamp (31/10/2025) and timestamp (18:42), lending false authenticity to the content. The video showed a tiger emerging through a gate and approaching a man seated in a chair.
Forest officials noted that social media accounts of those sharing the video were being flagged for action, and the public was urged to report individuals spreading false wildlife-related information to forest or police authorities.
Governance controls
Deolapar Police registered a case against the Mumbai-based social media user responsible for the earlier AI-generated petting video. The Maharashtra Forest Department initiated action and issued an official statement clarifying that no tiger attack had occurred.
Chief Conservator of Forests RM Ramanujam appealed to citizens not to fall prey to rumours and called for immediate reporting of false information distribution to nearest forest or police authorities.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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