Fact Check: Radiation hazard at Beas facility? No, AERB document is fabricated

Hyderabad: While tensions between India and Pakistan escalated till the ceasefire announcement on May 10, posts claiming a radiation hazard at a strategic military facility in Beas, Punjab, began circulating on social media.

The claim is accompanied by a purported press release from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), dated May 12, detailing an ‘ongoing radiation hazard’ at the facility after a missile strike on May 10. The document mentions the explosion of nuclear-capable warheads, radiation leakage and restrictions on civilian movement, allegedly suppressed by a media blackout.

The image of this press release was shared on X with captions, “Radiation leak confirmed in Beas after Pakistan strike” and “India’s nuclear disaster hidden by propaganda.” (Archive)

Several social media users amplified the claim, including a post by The Intel Consortium stating, “Sources confirm that during Pakistan’s precision strike on BrahMos depot in Beas, nuclear-capable warheads meant for active deployment were dangerously exploded.” (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the viral claim is false. The press release is fabricated, and key details within it, such as the hotline number, email ID and the name of the Director General, do not exist.

Additionally, the Indian National Radiological Safety Division (INRSD) mentioned in the document is non-existent, and the logo on the document is incorrect compared to the official AERB logo. No press release was issued by AERB on May 12 about any such radiation leak; the last press releases were on May 8 and May 13.

Referring to the viral claims, we conducted a thorough verification of the details provided in the document. The purported press release includes a hotline number (91-11-3000-EVV/247 monitored) and an email address (inrsd-envr@gov.in), neither of which is associated with the AERB or any official government entity.

The document also lists ‘Engr. R.K. Subramaniam’ as the Director General of the Indian National Radiological Safety Division (INRSD). However, no such position or division exists within the AERB. The official website of the AERB does not mention INRSD, and searches for ‘Engr. R.K. Subramaniam’ in official records or directories returned no matches.

Furthermore, the logo on the viral document does not match the official AERB logo. A comparison of the two logos reveals distinct differences in design and elements, confirming the fabrication of the document. The AERB’s official contact information and organisational structure are publicly available, and none of the elements in the viral document match these records.

Additionally, no press release was issued by AERB on May 12, as claimed in the viral document. The last press releases on the AERB website were dated May 8 and May 13, neither of which addresses the alleged incident at Beas.

We did not find any credible news reports or official statements from the AERB, the Government of India or international organisations confirming a radiation emergency at the Beas facility. The AERB’s website and official channels have not issued any alerts or updates regarding a radiation hazard in Beas as of May 14.

NewsMeter has sought a response from AERB regarding this matter and is awaiting their official statement. We will include their response once received.

The viral press release is fabricated, and key details such as the hotline number, email ID, and the name of the Director General, along with the Indian National Radiological Safety Division (INRSD), do not exist. The logo on the document is incorrect compared to the official AERB logo. No press release was issued by AERB on May 12; the last press releases were on May 8 and May 13. There are no credible reports or official statements confirming a radiation emergency at the Beas facility following any reported missile strike on May 10.

Therefore, NewsMeter concludes that the viral claims are false.