Over the years, several actors, authors have become the target of online death hoaxes. Most recently, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the former Chief Minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav's name was added to this list.
A photo, which shows a corpse kept in a glass coffin, is being passed off with a claim that Yadav passed away while being treated at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.
However, none of it is true. Speaking to The Quint, party spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari confirmed that Yadav is currently with his daughter in Delhi. We found no updates on either the party's social media profile or Yadav's children's profiles.
CLAIM
One of captions with the viral photo said, "बिहार के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री लालू यादव की ईलाज दिल्ली AIIMS के दौरा मृत्यु हो गई"
[Translation: Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav dies during his treatment at AIIMS, Delhi]
WHAT WE FOUND OUT
The Quint went through RJD and Yadav's social media handles and could not trace any news of his demise.
We also went through the profiles of Tejaswi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and Misa Bharati, but found no such news update about their father's death.
Speaking to The Quint, RJD Spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari said
"Lalu Prasad Yadav is alive and healthy. He is recovering now and staying in Delhi with his daughter, Misa Bharati. The viral photo shared on social media is not linked with Yadav in any way."Mritunjay Tiwari, RJD Spokesperson
The latest presence of Yadav was cited in one of the videos he tweeted, where was seen interacting with the media. This was posted on 4 May 2022.
Evidently, an unrelated photo was shared on social media claiming Lalu Prasad Yadav's demise.
LALU PRADAD YADAV'S HEALTH
Lalu Prasad Yadav, 73, was re-admitted to AIIMS, Delhi on 23 March 2022 after getting a discharge from the hospital just hours ago. He was brought into the hospital's emergency department.
Rashtriya Janata Dal founder suffers from multiple ailments, including renal issues and stage-4 kidney ailment.
On 21 March, a special CBI court in Ranchi had sentenced the RJD supremo to five years' imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh in the fifth fodder scam.
He was kept at the Birsa Munda Central Jail before being shifted to the state-run Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) due to his ailing health.
As his health deteriorated, he was shifted at AIIMS, Delhi.
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)