AI-generated tiger image sparks panic in Naspur, man booked after complaint from forest officials

Forest officials booked a man for circulating an AI-generated image of a tiger that went viral on social media and triggered panic in Naspur mandal of Mancherial district. Authorities clarified that no tiger was present in the area.

Mancherial: Forest officials lodged a complaint against a man for sharing an AI-generated photograph of a tiger that went viral on social media, triggering panic among residents of the Coal Chemical Complex area in Naspur mandal late on Wednesday night.

Forest officials said a complaint was lodged with the police against Suram Kiran of CCC on charges of generating the image and creating disturbance in the locality. They said Kiran confessed to generating the tiger photograph using a popular AI application. The officials appealed to the public not to panic, clarifying that no tiger was moving in the area.

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The officials further advised people to inform the Forest department first if they came to know about any movement of a tiger in their area. They urged the public to share news or developments related to tiger movement only after confirming the information with the department. They warned that stern action would be taken against those spreading fake news regarding tiger movement.

Incidentally, a migrant tiger was roaming on a hillock near an underground mine in Srirampur, located about five kilometres from the area shown in the photograph. Sensing trouble, forest officials rushed to the spot and searched for pugmarks. They found only dog pugmarks and realised that the photograph was fake.

The officials said they traced the creator of the image by tracking users of the instant messaging application by Thursday morning. They added that they planned to release a video statement disclosing the creator and his intention behind the act.