Alleged '188-Year-Old' Man Found Alive In Bengaluru, Video Goes Viral

A video claiming to show a " 188-year-old man " rescued from a cave near Bengaluru has taken social media by storm, racking up nearly 29 million views. The post, shared by the handle 'Concerned Citizen' on X (formerly Twitter), stirred curiosity with the caption: "This Indian man has just been found in a cave. It's alleged he's 188 years old. Insane."

In the brief 24-second clip, two men help an elderly man walk, who appears frail, with a hunchback and white beard, leaning on a stick for support. But soon after the video went viral, skepticism surfaced regarding the outrageous age claim.

X responded with a disclaimer, stating the age mentioned might be incorrect. "Misinformation! The elderly man is a Hindu Saint named ' Siyaram Baba ' who lives in Madhya Pradesh , India. According to reports he is about 110 years old," the note clarified.

Fact-checks quickly debunked the claim, with multiple reports identifying the man as 110-year-old Hindu saint Siyaram Baba, from Madhya Pradesh. X also added a disclaimer, confirming the man's identity and clarifying that the age mentioned was incorrect. The disclaimer referenced an article from Navbharat Times, dated July 2, 2024, which reported Siyaram Baba’s true age to be 109.

The data verification group D-Intent Data also flagged the viral video as misleading. In a post on X, they stated, "ANALYSIS: Misleading. FACT: A video of some people helping an elderly individual has been shared, claiming that a 188-year-old Indian Man has just been found in a cave. The fact is that these claims are not true. The elderly man is a Saint named 'Siyaram Baba,' who lives in Madhya Pradesh, India." They also warned against influencers spreading self-made claims to gain social media traction.

This viral episode highlights how easily misinformation can spread, turning a simple video into a wild tale.