Statue of Unity fact check

Fact checking a false image circulating on social media claiming that the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, the world’s tallest statue, has developed cracks and is at risk of collapse. It was, however, debunked by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

The viral image, showing the statue with visible cracks, was actually from the construction phase, state the PIB release.

“There is no repairing work required to be done on the bronze façade of the statue since its inauguration on 31st Oct 2018,” read the statement.

The PIB’s fact check account on X also posted the images, stating, “A photo is being shared on social media with the claim that cracks have started appearing in the world's tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, and it can collapse any time. This claim is #फर्जी . This photo is from the construction of the Statue of Unity in 2018.”

A reverse image search by LogicallyFacts also found a similar image published in a New York Times article dated October 31, 2018, and according to the fact checker, the image was credited to European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) photographer Divyakant Solanki.