Influencer-model misidentified as Indian Army Captain Anshuman Singh’s widow

Fact Check: Influencer, Not Captain Anshuman Singh’s Widow, in Viral Video

Claim: A social media video shows a woman in a yellow saree, labeled “martyr’s wife,” and claims it depicts Smriti Singh, the widow of late Captain Anshuman Singh.

Verdict: False. The woman in the video is model Reshma Sebastian, not Smriti Singh.

What We Found:

• The video circulated online claims to show Smriti Singh, wife of the deceased Captain Anshuman Singh who received the Kirti Chakra for bravery.
• A reverse image search of the video led to the Instagram account of Reshma Sebastian, a model.
• The video on Sebastian’s account, uploaded in April 2024, predates Captain Singh’s death.
• Sebastian resides in Germany and identifies as a model in her Instagram bio and a TEDx Talk linked there.
• Sebastian clarified on Instagram that she is not Smriti Singh and urged users to stop spreading misinformation.
• Facial features of Sebastian and Singh differ, despite similar hairstyles.

Why It Matters:

• Spreading false information online can lead to online harassment and damage reputations.
• Fact-checking helps verify the accuracy of information on social media.