Pune: It has come to the notice of the Forest Department that an image of a tiger allegedly seen in a farm field at Mangrul, Taluka Junnar, Dist. Pune is being widely circulated on various social media platforms.
Upon inquiry, Forest Department officials investigated the matter and identified the individual who shared the image, Dattatray Vinayak Minde of Mangrul. He has provided a written statement to the Forest Department confirming that the said image is not real, but a forged image created using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Forest Department urges the public not to believe or spread such rumours and to verify the authenticity of any such information before sharing it further. We also appeal to media houses and social media users to act responsibly by ensuring factual reporting to avoid unnecessary panic or confusion among the public.
“Spreading unverified information can disturb social harmony and affect the day-to-day life of people at large,” said the forest officials.