Fact-Check Fallout: J&K Teacher Killed in Shelling Falsely Labeled as ‘Terrorist’ by TV Channels

In a grave case of misreporting, several mainstream Indian news channels, including News18, Zee News, and Republic TV, have falsely identified Qari Mohammad Iqbal, a respected Muslim teacher from Poonch, Jammu & Kashmir, as a terrorist.

The 46-year-old religious scholar, who tragically died in cross-border shelling by Pakistan at Madrasa Zia-ul-Uloom in Poonch, was portrayed by these channels as a Lashkar-e-Taiba militant—a claim strongly refuted by the Poonch District Police.

Channels like Republic TV aired fabricated segments, claiming Iqbal was a “top Lashkar commander”, linking him to Pulwama and other terror attacks. News18 ran misleading visuals branding him a “dreaded terrorist.”

In response, Poonch Police issued a clear and stern statement, calling the reports “baseless and misleading”. They confirmed that Maulana Iqbal had no terror links and was a victim of Pakistani shelling, not a militant.

“Such false narratives disrespect the deceased and mislead the public. Legal action will be taken against those spreading fake news,” the police warned.

Advocate Sajid Bukhari condemned the media's actions, calling it “professional misconduct”, stating, “All it takes is a beard for some to declare a man a terrorist.”

Despite widespread criticism and police clarification, no media outlet has retracted or apologized for the false claims.

At least 15 civilians and one soldier were killed in Wednesday’s heavy shelling—a tragic day worsened by media irresponsibility.

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