Youth Booked for Circulating Fake Leopard Image

Hyderabad: Shamirpet police arrested an 18-year-old youth for allegedly creating panic by posting a false claim on social media that a leopard was seen near Shamirpet lake on Monday.

Police said the suspect, Ravinder Kumar, a Bihar native, used AI tools to create an image of a leopard and shared it online, falsely claiming that the animal was wandering around the lakeside. The image quickly spread across local WhatsApp groups and sparked alarm among residents.

Following the viral posts, Şamirpet police station and Forest Directorate teams came to the scene and conducted a detailed inspection of the lake and its surroundings. Authorities found no evidence of a wild animal or its footprints or eyewitness accounts, confirming the claim was fabricated.

Investigators later traced the origin of the image to Ravinder, who was identified as the creator and distributor of AI-generated content. A lawsuit was filed against him for spreading false information and creating fear in the public. Further investigation is ongoing.