In the backdrop of the surging of Covid-19 cases, pictures of devotees taking a holy dip at the Har Ki Pauri ghat in Uttarakhand's Haridwar on the occasion of the third ''shahi snan'' in Kumbh on April 13, 2021, has surfaced on media. Amid this, several social media users have shared an image showing a group of pilgrims taking a dip in the river is claiming that it is from the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.

Harsh Goenka shared the image with a caption saying, "Meanwhile at the #KumbhMela the international press is appalled at how low we wear our masks!"

Several other Facebook and Twitter users are sharing the image with the same caption. 

The truth behind the claim 

In our investigation, we found that the viral image not related to the ongoing Kumbh Mela at Haridwar and dates back to 2013. The image was taken during Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj that year. 

With the help of reverse image search, we found this image carried in an article dated February 14, 2013, which had the same photo with the title 'MAHA KUMBH MELA: 100 MILLION ATTEND THE WORLD'S LARGEST FESTIVAL.'

Several other images of the 2013 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh have also been shared in the article. 

In conclusion, an old image from the 2013 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj is being falsely shared as a recent image showing 'unmasked devotees' in Kumbh Mela, Haridwar.