Poisonous Chinese Crackers Ahead of Diwali! Is Pakistan's Ally Aims to Flood Indian Market With Carbon Monoxide & Mercury Products? 'Home Ministry Alert' Fact-Checked

A section of social media users was left in a state of panic after a message went viral on Twitter and WhatsApp. The fear-mongering forward warned readers of "poisonous crackers," which Pakistan's ally China is allegedly considering to export to the Indian market. The warning, said to be issued by a "Senior Investigating Officer" of the Home Ministry, has asked the readers to desist from purchasing Chinese crackers and lights ahead of Diwali. Green Firecrackers For Diwali: What Are Eco-Friendly Crackers Approved By the Supreme Court?

The message further claims that China is planning to flood Indian markets with lights containing a hazardous level of mercury, inhaling which would cause severe health hazards.

Read Full Text of The Hoax Alert Going Viral:

*A Serious Alert* ... According to intelligence reports A distraught and frustrated Pakistan, since it is incapable of attacking India in a direct war, is seeking Chinese help to cause the following damage,/ disturbance in India ... *Please read this carefully and take proper care to safeguard your family from any kind of health or other problems*...

1.A different kind of crackers that produce smoke to cause Asthma in people who inhale that smoke.

2.Besides these crackers are also designed to produce Carbon Monoxide to cause breathing difficulty in people.

further, China is reportedly producing decorative coloured electric bulbs and serial bulbs with a high content of Mercury. The light produced / emitted by these bulbs can be highly injurious and cause vision -related disturrbances in persons exposed to the light, especially children.

*China is planning to flood the Indian market with these dangerous products considering the festive season ahead from Janmashtami till Diwali and Christmas*.

The public are advised to consider the above mentioned information seriously in their own interest and *totally avoid purchasing any and all such products Made in China*.

This measure is very essential for the well being of all Indians ...

*The Citizens are hereby requested to forward and propagate this serious alert to the maximum extent possible among contacts, friends and relatives to safeguard the people as well as the economy of the country* ...

*Jai Hind*

Screenshot of Hoax Message:

The above message is being forwarded on WhatsApp, the most popular social media messaging application. Apart from such texts, similar posts have flooded Twitter as well, where the micro-bloggers are alleging a ploy by China to take revenge on behalf of Pakistan.

Fake Alert Being Shared on Twitter:

Fact Check:

A search has revealed that there is no such officer with the name Biswajit Mukherjee as mentioned in the hoax alert messages shared above.

It has been confirmed that no such warning has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The Chinese products continue to be imported and have not been red-flagged by any of the agencies. Thus, the alert has been found to be completely fake.

Notably, such messages have gone viral last year as well, with social media users appealing their brethren to refrain from the use of Chinese crackers on Diwali.

Hoax Alert Shared Last Year:

The message last year as well mentioned the same fictional officer Biswajit Mukherjee who does not exist in the Home Ministry. Further, the MHA had not issued any such alert last year as well. LatestLY would like to advise social media users to fact-check such audacious claims via a simple search on Google rather than blindly forwarding them under panic.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 26, 2019 09:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).