Archive · 29 Sep 2026
AI-Generated Mosque Demolition Video Triggers Unrest In Ujjain
A fake computer-made video showed a mosque in Ujjain being completely destroyed.
The video spread quickly on social media.
People believed it and gathered at the mosque, where clashes broke out.
Police later said the video was completely false.
In reality, only a small three-foot overhang was approved for removal during road widening.
Similar AI fakes have been used in India to trick people into investing money.
Experts say fake videos can spread faster than people can check them.
The story also warns that creating and running AI systems uses large amounts of energy.
An AI-generated video falsely showed the entire Shahi Masjid in Ujjain being demolished by heavy machinery.
The video spread rapidly on social media and was followed by clashes near the mosque.
Madhya Pradesh Police said the video was fabricated and completely false.
Only a three-foot overhang was approved for removal during a road-widening project, and mosque committee members were removing it voluntarily.
The incident highlights how deepfakes can fuel financial fraud, public disorder, and other real-world harm before authorities can verify them.
- Who
- People who viewed and reacted to the fabricated video, mosque committee members, and Madhya Pradesh Police.
- What
- An AI-generated false video showing the complete demolition of the Shahi Masjid triggered unrest and clashes.
- When
- The articles do not provide a specific date for the Ujjain clashes; they place the event amid a recent pattern of AI-related incidents in India.
- Where
- At the Shahi Masjid in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India.
- Why
- The fabricated video falsely suggested that authorities had demolished the entire mosque, while only a small overhang was approved for removal.
- Location
- Shahi Masjid, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India
- False claim
- The entire mosque had been demolished by heavy machinery.
- Actual approval
- Only a three-foot overhang aligned with a road-widening project was sanctioned for removal.
- Police assessment
- Madhya Pradesh Police called the video fabricated and completely false.
- Immediate consequence
- The video spread on social media and was followed by clashes near the mosque.
- Related financial loss
- A Hyderabad woman reportedly lost Rs. 71.84 lakh after being deceived by a deepfake of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
- Environmental impact
- Global data-centre emissions were estimated at 286–315 million tonnes of CO2 in 2025, according to Allianz Trade.