Internet users faced a bout of anxiety and fear after pictures unveiled a pack of African leopards and tigers prowling on the streets of Ganjam in Srirangapatna taluk of Karnataka. The region in the Mandya
district was claimed to be the site of shocking scenes, as these dangerous carnivores were captured roaming about freely in the area as if they were in their jungle and preparing to make prey of someone.
Initially, pictures claiming that two African leopards had been sighted in the area near Gumbaz on Sangama Road in Karnataka went viral on Thursday, October 23, morning. Now, news outlet Zee Kannada shed light on the incident and verified the images that created panic among those watching them.
Miscreants Post AI Photos Of Leopards On Karnataka Road
It has emerged that the pictures of leopards prowling about the streets in Karnataka state were yet another example of the misuse of artificial intelligence. According to a report by Zee Kannada, these pictures were created, posted and spread by miscreants. Spreading a false rumour and creating panic among social media users and locals, these mischievous individuals edited glimpses of the animal species appearing on the streets of the famous tourist spot of Srirangapatna.
As things unfolded, these miscreants created live photos of the leopard through AI and circulated them on social media, evoking safety fears. Later on, as these leopard images caught the attention of social media users, they reposted them without realising they were made out of AI-based applications.
Miscreants Spread More Panic Via Tiger Images
Not stopping there, these miscreants backed their leopard images by creating and circulating photos of a herd of tigers roaming together in the same region of Srirangapatna. The news of leopard sightings in the region had already created an atmosphere of fear and panic. But these miscreants further jolted the locals, farmers and tourists by spreading the fake images of tigers moving about in the area. The report said that some panicked locals even appealed to the forest department to act after watching the photos on their online feed.
Fact-Check: Images Are AI-Generated
It was later discovered in a fact check that these were AI-made images of the leopards and tigers. Many on social media have since expressed their anger on the miscreants who were responsible for the fake news. It is being demanded that strict action must be taken against the individuals behind the images.
