Image Credit-x.com/BGatesIsaPyscho
A video claiming to show the rescue of a “188-year-old man” from a cave near Bengaluru has taken social media by storm. Originally shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a user called ‘Concerned Citizen,’ the post quickly went viral, amassing nearly 29 million views. The brief 24-second clip shows two men assisting an elderly man, hunched over with a white beard, walking slowly with the help of a stick. The caption on the post reads: “This Indian man has just been found in a cave. It’s alleged he’s 188 years old. Insane.”
Despite the video’s viral success, its sensational claim of the man’s age drew immediate skepticism and fact-checking.
Fact-Checking the Claims: Who Is the Man in the Video?
As the video continued to circulate, multiple reports and fact-checkers began debunking the age claim. According to reliable sources, the elderly man in the video is not 188 years old, but actually 110. He has been identified as a Hindu saint named Siyaram Baba, who hails from the Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh, India.
Navbharat Times published an article on July 2, 2024, confirming the man’s identity and clarifying that Siyaram Baba is 109 or 110 years old, not 188. Siyaram Baba is well-known in the region for his spiritual teachings, but there are no records supporting the exaggerated age claim made in the viral post.
In response to the viral video, X issued a disclaimer, flagging the post as misinformation. The platform added that the claim about the man’s age was inaccurate, providing correct information about his identity and age.
Data Verification: Misleading Claims Exposed
Data verification groups, such as D-Intent Data, also weighed in on the viral post, labeling it as misleading. In a post on X, D-Intent Data clarified, “ANALYSIS: Misleading. FACT: A video of some people helping an elderly individual has been shared, claiming that a 188-year-old Indian Man has just been found in a cave. The fact is that these claims are not true. The elderly man is a Saint named ‘Siyaram Baba,’ who lives in Madhya Pradesh, India.”
The group emphasized that influencers and social media users often circulate exaggerated or self-invented claims to gain attention online. This case of misinformation is a classic example of how content can quickly spiral out of control without proper verification.
FAQs About the “188-Year-Old” Man Video
Q: Is the man in the video really 188 years old?
A: No, the elderly man in the video is Siyaram Baba, a Hindu saint from Madhya Pradesh, India. He is around 110 years old, not 188.
Q: Where was the video filmed?
A: The video was falsely claimed to be filmed near Bengaluru, but the elderly man is from the Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh.
Q: How did the video go viral?
A: The video was posted on X by a user called ‘Concerned Citizen,’ where it quickly garnered millions of views and attention due to the outlandish claim that the man was 188 years old.
Q: What did X do about the viral post?
A: X flagged the post with a disclaimer, clarifying that the claim of the man being 188 years old was false and providing accurate information about his identity.
Q: Why do such videos gain so much attention?
A: Sensationalized and exaggerated content often draws more attention on social media, as users are intrigued by extraordinary claims, even if they are false.
This viral sensation is a reminder of the importance of verifying facts before believing or sharing content, especially when it comes to such exaggerated claims.