Dheeshma

Dheeshma Puzhakkal heads the fact check team at NewsMeter. Commencing her career as a tech writer in 2018, she transitioned into journalism in 2019 as a multimedia journalist with NewsMeter. In 2020, she joined India Today, where she advanced to the position of Principal Correspondent within the organisation's fact check team. Dheeshma specialises in analysing maps and satellite imagery, and gathering open-source intelligence for investigative journalism. Her reporting extends across diverse domains, including health, consumer affairs, data, politics, and law enforcement agencies. Throughout her career, Dheeshma has proven herself as a seasoned fact-checker, delving into misinformation surrounding various topics, including elections, cross-border conflicts, and communalism. Her contributions have earned recognition, with Members of Parliament, ministers, and embassies acknowledging and sharing her findings.

    Dheeshma

    Lost job six months ago, now COVID +ve, Nizamabad man struggles in UAE
    Lost job six months ago, now COVID +ve, Nizamabad man struggles in UAE

    Hyderabad: A 33-year-old man from Nizamabad district of the Telangana State was admitted to a UAE university three days ago after testing positive for...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 4 May 2020 3:16 PM GMT


    Central teams in Telangana and Andhra to help combat rising COVID cases
    Central teams in Telangana and Andhra to help combat rising COVID cases

    Hyderabad: A central public health team will be deployed in Telangana’s Hyderabad district to assist the state government in the implementation of...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 4 May 2020 9:01 AM GMT


    Lockdown: Gadwal district feeds 300 stray animals every day
    Lockdown: Gadwal district feeds 300 stray animals every day

    Hyderabad: The municipal administration of Gadwal is feeding more than 300 strays every day. In the last one month, over 40 municipality employees in...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 3 May 2020 9:07 AM GMT


    YSRC MLAs claim of Heritage employees are COVID infected, is false
    YSRC MLA's claim of Heritage employees are COVID infected, is false

    Hyderabad: A few YSR Congress legislators have demanded an explanation from former Chief Minister and leader of the opposition,N. Chandrababu...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 2 May 2020 8:23 AM GMT


    Narayana Jr College demands advance fees amid lockdown, parents fume
    Narayana Jr College demands advance fees amid lockdown, parents fume

    Hyderabad: A wave of anger has swept across parents and students after Narayana Junior College in Kukatpally and Madhapur demanded semester fees...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 1 May 2020 4:51 AM GMT


    Forget virus, cameras are making life miserable for COVID patients in Hyd
    Forget virus, cameras are making life miserable for COVID patients in Hyd

    Hyderabad: A family under quarantine has alleged that a neighbor has installed security cameras to keep an eye on them at CE Colony of Bagh Amberpet...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 30 April 2020 2:47 PM GMT


    Fact Check: No, mustard oil does not kill Corona virus
    Fact Check: No, mustard oil does not kill Corona virus

    Yoga guru Ramdev, on 25 April, had claimed that applying mustard oil to the nostrils will make Corona virus flow to the stomach where it will be...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 30 April 2020 6:15 AM GMT


    No robust evidence to support plasma therapy for  treatment : ICMR
    No robust evidence to support plasma therapy for treatment : ICMR

    Hyderabad: The Indian health ministry on Tuesday, 29th April issued a strict directive against using plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 patients, saying...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 29 April 2020 11:05 AM GMT


    COVID-19 test for dogs in Gadwal district of Telangana
    COVID-19 test for dogs in Gadwal district of Telangana

    Hyderabad: Doctors from the Animal Husbandry Department on Tuesday conducted COVID-19 tests on stray dogs in a village in Jogulamba Gadwal district....

    By Dheeshma  Published on 29 April 2020 8:47 AM GMT


    Satellite data shows increasing pollution levels in Indian cities including Hyderabad
    Satellite data shows increasing pollution levels in Indian cities including Hyderabad

    Hyderabad: The air quality index for nitrogen dioxide in Indian cities had seen a substantial drop of up to 40-50 percent following the country-wide...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 29 April 2020 5:56 AM GMT


    32 recovered COVID patients, Markaz returnees ready to donate plasma: Owaisi
    32 recovered COVID patients, Markaz returnees ready to donate plasma: Owaisi

    Hyderabad:The Hyderabad MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on 27 April wrote a letter to Telangana health minister Etala Rajender stating that 32...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 28 April 2020 8:24 AM GMT


    COVID-19: Hyderabad shopkeeper tests positive,  16 contacts under quarantine
    COVID-19: Hyderabad shopkeeper tests positive, 16 contacts under quarantine

    Hyderabad: A 50-year-old shopkeeper of Saroornagar area in Hyderabad has been tested positive for Coronavirus.The administration has put as many as 16...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 28 April 2020 4:58 AM GMT


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