An image claiming that petrol pumps in Wayanad, Kerala refused fuel to Indian Army who were there for rescue operations during recent Floods in Kerala has gone viral on several social media platforms. The content in the image goes on to say that the army seized the petrol pumps with the special powers they have for disaster management and left after fueling their vehicles. Let’s verify the authenticity of these claims.
Claim: Petrol pumps in Wayanad refuse fuel to Indian Army for rescue operations during Kerala Floods.
Fact: Petrol pumps in Wayanad did not refuse fuel to Indian Army during rescue operations recently. Both the Wayanad collector and Sulthan Bathery Bharat Petroleum office have termed this as Fake News. Hence the claim made in the post is FALSE.
It can be noted from the posts that the news is picked up from keralakaumudi.com website. When searched for the news on this website, it can be found that the post has be updated with comments from an empolyee of Sulthan Bathery petrol pump and the Sulthan Bathery police. The employee said that the army had not approached them for fuel and as transportation was disrupted, the stock was over by afternoon. Sulthan Bathery police said that they have not received any complaint against the petrol pumps.
When Factly contacted the District Collector’s office of Wayanad and the Bharat Petroleum office of Sulthan Bathery to check the authenticity of the claims going viral on social media, both termed the news of petrol pumps refusing fuel to Indian Army as fake.
Wayanad District Petrol Dealers Association had also filed a complaint with the Kerala government and the district police regarding this false news. A copy of the complaint can found in this article.
Finally, there is no truth in the claim that petrol pumps in Wayanad refused fuel to Indian Army during rescue operations in Kerala.
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