A video of Surat locals searching for diamonds on the road is being shared with a misleading claim - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
September 29, 2023
A video circulating widely on social media platforms shows people picking up something from the road. The claim accompanying the video asserts that these people have joined a scavenger hunt after a Diamond trader in distress due to plummeting exports threw away a diamond on the road. The video and its claim are connected to the current plight involving the diamond industry in Surat, influenced by the Russia-Ukraine war (here). Here is a fact-check about this claim.
Claim: Locals in Surat are collecting diamonds from the street thrown by a distressed diamond trader due to a decline in exports.
Fact: According to local authorities, someone dropped a bag of American diamonds (imitation stones) on the street, causing the crowd to gather and scavenge. This event was unrelated to any crisis in the diamond market. Therefore, the claim made in the post is Misleading.
Our investigative process started with an internet query using keywords related to the claim. We were directed to numerous news reports (here and here) about this incident.
As per a LiveMint report, this event occurred in Surat’s Mini Bazar in the Varachha area. The local populace began searching for diamonds on the road after hearing that a local businessman had accidentally disposed of diamonds worth crores on the street. However, it was later revealed that these were American diamonds, typically used in imitation jewellery.
Alpesh Gabani, a police inspector from Varachha P.S, shared insights about the incident with BoomLive. He confirmed that an individual had dropped a bag of American diamonds, leading to the ensuing commotion and spreading rumours. He also clarified that this incident is irrelevant to any diamond market crisis.
Through our fact-checking process, we have determined that the claim spreading on social media about Surat locals picking up real diamonds from the streets is misleading. The diamonds were imitation stones, and the incident was not linked to any decline in the diamond trade.
To sum up, the video and associated claim concerning Surat locals frantically searching for diamonds on the streets, aree misleading.