An Indian YouTuber with over half a million followers was recently arrested for defaming a key infrastructure project by claiming that a Goa airport was haunted.
Akshay Vashisht, a YouTube personality with over 572,000 subscribers, was arrested earlier this week in New Delhi for allegedly inciting fear and spreading lies about a key state infrastructure project. The owner of a YouTube channel focusing on paranormal activity, Vashisht claimed that Manohar International Airport, the newest airport in Goa, was built on the site of a cremation ground and had been plagued by paranormal activity. After his video, titled ‘Evil Haunted Goa Airport’, was discovered by Goa Police’s Social Media Monitoring Cell, the popular content creator was arrested and brought to the Mopa Police Station for interrogation.
Photo: Steinar Engeland/Unsplash
According to police, Akshay Vashisht’s clip contained “false, malicious and superstitious allegations” designed to boost his online presence by inciting fear. In the video, which was widely shared on various social media platforms, the Indian YouTuber claimed that Manohar Airport staff had reported “paranormal activities”, and that many pilots refused to fly at night due to ghostly sightings, including that of a mysterious woman wearing a red saree on the airport runway. He is also accused of narrating made-up testimonies from his subscribers to lend his stories legitimacy.
On September 18, Vashisht shared a post about his arrest on Instagram, stating that the arrest was “unwarranted” and “illegal” and claiming that police had harassed him.
Vashisht’s YouTube channel reportedly gained popularity for its dramatic storytelling style and focus on India-centric ghost stories, many of which are blown out of proportion.
