Jajpur: Police in Odisha’s Jajpur district have detained a 28-year-old man for allegedly creating and circulating a fake, AI-generated video claiming a Royal Bengal Tiger was prowling near local sugarcane fields.
The viral post triggered massive panic among residents across dozens of villages in the Baniari-Saudia area under the Balichandrapur police limits.
The accused, identified as Srikant Kumar Dhinda, a resident of Baniari village who works outside the state, had returned home just a few days earlier. He uploaded the AI-fabricated media to his social media account on Satursday morning, falsely alleging that he had spotted a big cat outside the village and captured photos and video of the animal along with fake pugmarks.
Locals promptly informed forest department officials and police, prompting a joint search operation. Teams examined the area, including sugarcane fields and reported footprints, but found no evidence of a tiger. Following which, officials concluded the video and images were fake and AI-generated.
Balichandrapur police station IIC Dillip Kumar Mohanty confirmed that a case has been registered against Dhinda following his detention. “After the fake video went viral on social media platforms from Dhinda’s account, we brought him to the police station and detained him. He has admitted to making and circulating the AI-generated video on social media platforms, and we are currently interrogating him,” he said.
Jajpur SP Yash Pratap Shrimal issued a stern warning to young people against generating or spreading misleading AI content. He emphasised that creating hoaxes that disrupt public order or induce fear among citizens will invite strict legal action and severe penalties.