Beware of imposters: MHA warns after fake Twitter handle of Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh UT surfaces

The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday warned of imposters posing as official Twitter handles of the Government of India. The warning came after fake Twitter handles of Gilgit-Baltistan and Ladakh Union Territory surfaced on the micro-blogging website.

NEW DELHI: The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday (May 13, 2020) warned of ''imposters'' posing as official Twitter handles of the Government of India and spreading misinformation among the net users. The warning came after fake Twitter handles of Gilgit-Baltistan and Ladakh Union Territory surfaced on the micro-blogging website.

''A Twitter handle, with close to 31,000 followers, claimed that it is the official handle of Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh UT India,'' the MHA spokesperson said on official Twitter handle.

“The account is not a verified one. The handle reads, the official Twitter account of Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh (UT), India. The handle has been created in May 2020 and the amount follows 300, while it is being followed by 31.4 k persons,’’ it MHA handle tweeted.

“This is, however, a fake handle. The Union Territory of Ladakh has only official handles. They are @DIPR_Leh and @InformationDep4. The above-mentioned handle is fake and the information it puts out cannot be treated as authentic,’’ it added.

“Kindly follow @DIPR_Leh & @InformationDep4 for official updates on UT of Ladakh. There is NO other official account of Govt. of UT of Ladakh. BEWARE OF IMPOSTERS,’’ the tweet from the MHA handle said.

Kindly follow @DIPR_Leh & @InformationDep4 for official updates on UT of Ladakh.

There is NO other official account of Govt. of UT of Ladakh. BEWARE OF IMPOSTERS. @PMOIndia @HMOIndia https://t.co/LR6MdiED9M — Spokesperson, Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) May 13, 2020

Meanwhile, in response to the fake Twitter handle, the Union Territory of Ladakh also clarified that the Union Territory of Ladakh has two official Twitter handles ie.“DIPR Leh Ladakh, @DIPR_Leh ” & “Information Department Kargil, @InformationDep4 ” & only these two Twitter handles are used by the administration of Ladakh to disseminate data & to make all important announcements.''

The Union Territory of Ladakh has two official Twitter handles ie.“DIPR Leh Ladakh, @DIPR_Leh” & “Information Department Kargil, @InformationDep4” & only these two Twitter handles are used by the administration of Ladakh to disseminate data & to make all important announcements. pic.twitter.com/ESxRlTpP6Z — DIPR Leh Ladakh (@DIPR_Leh) May 12, 2020

It is to be noted that several fake Twitter handles posing as the official handles of Government of India and other state government departments had surfaced in the recent past and various government agencies like PIB have taken to Twitter and issued a clarification regarding the same, warning people not to fall in their trap as they are not authentic and spread misinformation.

Pakistan has illegally occupied Gilgit-Baltistan and India has been demanding it to withdraw from this area. A few days ago, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) started reporting the weather conditions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad, areas that come under Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). 

The move shocked Pakistan so much that in response, Radio Pakistan started telling the weather of Jammu and Kashmir.

All this comes amid prevailing tension between India and Pakistan since the terror attack on the Uri army camp in September 2016. India, which blamed Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism, pulled out of the 19th SAARC summit Pakistan was scheduled to host in Islamabad in November that year. The summit is yet to be held.