IAF Helicopter Showers Petals on Migrant Workers, Photo: Fact Check

Story:

Indian Air Force Helicopter Showers Flower Petals on Migrant Workers Walking Back Home amid Coronavirus Lockdown

Other Versions

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This one is worth a million.
I don’t know who clicked it (someone posted it on FB) but the photographer deserves a prize for capturing every aspect of 2020 in one frame. History is made of pictures like these.

Image about IAF Helicopter Showers Petals on Migrant Workers, Photograph

Fact Check:

A picture message is viral on social media alleging to show Indian Air Force Helicopter Showers Flower Petals on Migrant Workers Walking Back Home amid Coronavirus Lockdown. No, the incident is not real – the composite photograph is a creation of Photoshop explained here.

About the story in Circulation

The photograph in question is doing rounds on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp among other social media platforms. Twitter user Mayur Puri shared the same on 4th May 2020 saying the picture is worth a million words. He also adds the photographer deserves a prize for capturing every aspect of 2020 in one frame. Mayur Puri, a director and film writer was perhaps referring to the struggle of migrant workers during nation-wide lockdown in India to contain the spread of COVID-19 global pandemic. However, the photograph is a composite of two different pictures.

Photoshop Picture Showing Helicopter Showers Petals on Migrant Workers

Facebook page of DD News Live shared the photograph of Helicopter showering petals on 3rd May 2020. It described about Armed Forces of India to salute the Coronavirus warriors (health workers). The post said Helicopters from the IAF and Indian Navy will fly over hospitals treating Coronavirus patients and shower petals as a tribute to the Coronavirus warriors. Likewise, Asian News International, ANI also shared the image while reporting an Indian Air Force chopper showered flower petals in Chandigarh to express gratitude towards medical professionals.

Chandigarh: An Indian Air Force chopper showed flower petals on Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) to express gratitude towards medical professionals. "We appreciate the kind gesture. It's hugely motivational," says PGIMER Director Prof. Jagat Ram. pic.twitter.com/doWNsy7EZx
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2020

In both cases, the picture of chopper appeared as an illustration. It does not show the helicopter flowering petals in praise of health workers of COVID-19. The old photograph in fact shows an Indian Air Force Helicopter spraying flower petals above Rajpath. It was on the ceremonial boulevard during Republic Day celebrations of India on 26th Jan. 2018.

Image of IAF Helicopter spraying flower petals above Rajpath during Republic Day on 26th Jan. 2018 — IAF Helicopter spraying flower petals above Rajpath during Republic Day on 26th Jan. 2018

Image of Migrant workers walking back on a highway towards Uttar Pradesh amid Coronavirus lockdown — IAF Helicopter spraying flower petals above Rajpath during Republic Day on 26th Jan. 2018

On the other hand, the other part of the photograph shows migrant workers and their family members walking with their belongings amid COVID-19. The photograph was captured in Faridabad on 27th March 2020 on a highway towards Uttar Pradesh as the migrant workers were walking back for their villages. Most certainly, someone created the composite photograph to point the sad plight of migrant workers in India during Coronavirus lockdown.

Reasons for Lockdown

India, along with many other countries, resorted to nation-wide lockdown to stop the spread of deadly Coronavirus and break its transmission cycle. The global pandemic disease without cure or vaccine in fact killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world. In comparison, India, the second largest populated country in world reported very less number of Coronavirus deaths, thanks to the lockdown.