AI-generated tiger video prompts police action over misinformation
An AI-generated video falsely depicting a man feeding liquor to a tiger from Pench Tiger Reserve went viral on Instagram with fabricated claims. Police in Nagpur identified the content as entirely synthetic, issued a notice to the Mumbai-based user, and had the video removed, citing potential harm to the reserve's reputation and misleading messaging about wildlife safety.
What happened
A six-second AI-generated video posted to Instagram on October 30, 2025, showed a man giving liquor to a tiger and patting the animal on an empty village street. The video went viral with false claims that it depicted a stray tiger from Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and a drunk labourer named Raju Patel.
Nagpur Rural Police determined the video was entirely AI-generated and issued a notice under section 68 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita to the Mumbai-based Instagram user 'aikalaakari' on November 7, 2025. The video was subsequently removed from Instagram.
Reported impact
Police stated the video sent a wrong message and could damage the image of Pench Tiger Reserve, potentially misleading tourists and affecting tourism to the reserve. The video also presented a misleading and dangerous view of how to behave around wild animals.
Index analysis
The incident demonstrates the rapid spread of AI-generated misinformation on social media platforms, particularly content falsely linked to wildlife reserves and named individuals, creating fabricated narratives that could undermine public trust in wildlife protection efforts and tourism.
Governance controls
Nagpur Rural Police issued a legal notice to the Instagram user and appealed to citizens to stop sharing fake content, warning of action against those who create content that defames wildlife reserves or spreads misinformation.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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