Atal Bihari Vajpayee Fake Death News: Social Media, News Channels, Constitutional Figures Fell Victim to Hoax
Before Vajpayee breathed his last at 5:05pm today, he was already declared dead by some media channels.
New Delhi, Aug 16: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee continues to reel under critical condition, as per the latest bulletin issued by the AIIMS at 2:30 pm on Thursday. A slew of news channels, along with constitutional figures, jumped the line and declared him dead while he was still alive.
The fake news spread by the media outlets and other renowned personalities caused panic among viewers. The hospital had to clarify that Vajpayee is still alive, though his vitals have shown signs of deterioration.
Here are the screenshots of news channels who forgoed two of the key principles of reportage: accuracy and accountability.
Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy "mourns demise of Vajpayee" after falling victim to the fake news. Here is the screenshot of his tweet:
Vajpayee was admitted at Delhi's AIIMS on June 11, after he contracted urinary tract infection and chest congestion. His condition deteriorated on Saturday, followed by a bulletin issued by the AIIMS on Tuesday.
UPDATE: By the time this article was published, Vajpayee had been declared dead. The former PM breathed his last at 5:05 pm, as per the bulletin issued by AIIMS.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2018 05:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).