Maharajganj: ‘Go viral’ bid lands content creator in custody over AI video of SSB camp blast

22-year-old allegedly created nine-second video showing Maharajganj SSB camp being blown up to gain likes and followers

The lure of likes, views and followers landed a 22-year-old content creator in judicial custody after he allegedly created and uploaded an AI-generated video depicting a bomb blast at a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) camp on the India-Nepal border in Maharajganj, police said on Thursday.

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The accused, Faiyaz Ahmad, a B-Pharma graduate and resident of Sevantari village under Parsamalik police station in Maharajganj, allegedly created a nine-second video showing the 22nd battalion SSB camp at Sevantari being blown up and uploaded it on Instagram. The post carried the caption, “Ab karo copy” (Now copy this).

The video raised concern among police and security agencies as it depicted an attack on a sensitive border-security installation. Police subsequently traced the Instagram account from which the video had been uploaded and identified Faiyaz as its operator, officials said.

“The police immediately traced the social-media account, which was found to be operated in the name of Faiyaz Ahmad, son of Abdul Kalam, a resident of Sevantari,” Maharajganj additional SP Siddharth said in a statement issued on Wednesday night.

Police got the post deleted and took Faiyaz into custody. He was subsequently produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody, the ASP said.

According to police, Faiyaz admitted during questioning that he had created and uploaded the AI-generated video to make his social-media account go viral and increase its likes, views and followers. He also allegedly apologised and assured investigators that he would not repeat the act.

Faiyaz’s Instagram account has around 11,600 followers and 327 posts, according to police. His profile describes him as a chemist and pharmacy professional and contains several AI-generated videos. His Facebook account has around 1,600 followers.

Police said Faiyaz had completed his B-Pharma course but was unemployed and looking for work. He allegedly regularly created and uploaded reels and other videos for social media.

Following the incident, police intensified monitoring of social-media activity in the border district, particularly posts involving security forces, border installations and other sensitive locations. Officials said AI-generated content depicting fabricated attacks on sensitive installations could create public alarm.

“The police took immediate cognisance of the objectionable and provocative video. The account was traced, the post was removed and the accused was taken into preventive custody before being produced before the magistrate,” ASP Siddharth said.