Published 12:06 IST, March 31st 2020
Fact Check: Has someone in Goa dressed up as a ghost to make people stay at home?
Fact Check: A video surfaced on the internet shows that someone in Goa has come up with an innovative way to make people stay indoors by scaring them. Read.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, might have announced a nationwide lockdown, but it seems that there are people who are still leaving their homes with no emergencies or important purposes. The police forces of every region are coming up with new and innovative ideas to spread awareness amongst people for them to stay at their respective homes, and some citizens are also helping them. A video surfaced on social media that showed a person allegedly turning into a 'ghost' and scaring people off.
Claim
The post shared by the Twitterati claims that someone in Goa has come up with an innovative way to make people stay at home. In the video, one can see how a person dressed up in white is hiding in the bushes near a bridge's end. A bike comes from the other end and the ghost jumps out suddenly, hopping towards the bike. The driver loses his balance on the bike while the one sitting behind jumps off the bike. He is so scared that he climbs up the railing of the bridge while the driver zooms away. Here is the video:
This video was shared by multiple people on Twitter, Instagram, as well as WhatsApp. While many thought that it was funny, there were people concerned for the man who climbed the bridge. Here are some reactions:
Rating: Fake
While people were tweeting the video without knowing the source of the article, one person shared that the video is not from Goa. It is a prank video that was shared in May 2019. The video was shared by the Twitter handle @Armiagraph, who wrote in the caption that if anybody has friends who can do that, they can leave.
Origin
The video is originally from Jakarta, Indonesia
As per an article in a Jakartan local newspaper written in 2019, the video shows a prank played by a friend of the men coming on the bike. The friend dressed up as a Pocong to scare the two men. A Pocong is a shrouded ghost and is said to be a soul of a dead person trapped in its own shroud. It is a popular part of the supernatural culture of Malaysia and Indonesia. Here is the original video:
Disclaimer: It is important to stay home and maintain social distancing. We urge everyone to stay at home and keep the lockdown in India. This will help in the fight against coronavirus.
Updated 12:06 IST, March 31st 2020