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‘AI is in the wrong hands’: Lucknow panic over ‘leopard sightings’ turns out to be AI prank; youth arrested for sharing viral videos

The forest department launched an investigation to trace the animal, but what they eventually found was nothing like what people had imagined.

Many residents began reviewing their home CCTV recordings, hoping to verify whether a leopard had indeed passed by

Residents of Lucknow were gripped by panic after a series of social media posts claimed that leopards had been spotted roaming freely across parts of the city. Images and clips allegedly from neighbourhoods such as Ashiana, Ruchi Khand, and Gomti Nagar went viral, prompting alarm among locals who feared wild animals had strayed into residential areas.

Acting swiftly, the forest department launched an inquiry to locate the supposed leopards, but what they uncovered was far from expected. On close examination, officials found that the footage was entirely fabricated and had been created using artificial intelligence (AI).

A young man was later arrested for editing and circulating the videos online to make them appear genuine. Authorities have since confirmed that no leopards were ever present in the city and that the alarming visuals were purely AI-generated.

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According to a report by Hindustan Times, the viral videos sent shockwaves through local communities. Many residents began reviewing their home CCTV recordings, hoping to verify whether a leopard had indeed passed by. Some parents even kept their children indoors or home from school out of fear. As panic spread, police and wildlife officials conducted thorough inspections across the mentioned areas, checking CCTV footage from homes and shops, but found no evidence of any wild animal activity.

Check out the post:

A guy from Lucknow used AI to add a leopard to his photo and posted it online, saying, “Spotted near my house.”

It went super viral, people got scared, and even the forest team came running—only to find out it was fake.

Now he’s in jail for the prank! 😅 pic.twitter.com/LnP7I9hyfH

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) October 28, 2025

The viral post has now amassed lakhs of views online, with users flooding the comments section. One person wrote, “When you tell the truth, authorities won’t do anything and act lazily. But if you lie, they are super active and will sure shot send you to jail. But in anyway, his prank is condemnable. People can add a disclaimer to their photo/video.”

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Another suggested stricter regulation: “The government should frame a policy that any AI-generated audio, video, or image should be labeled with a disclaimer indicating that it’s AI-generated or assisted. This will prevent much confusion and misinformation.”

A third user said, “AI can generate images, but it can’t generate bail money. Maybe use those skills to build an income stream instead of a police record.”

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During their investigation, forest officials confirmed that there were no paw prints, fur, or other traces of a leopard anywhere in the city. The arrested youth later admitted to creating and sharing the fake clips. A formal complaint has been filed at the Ashiana police station, and officials said further legal action is underway.