Dawood Ibrahim poisoned in Pakistan?

New Delhi, December 18

Two unrelated incidents combined to spark speculation in India about the ill-health and even death of wanted fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, believed to be living in Karachi.

Intelligence sources here said there was information that Dawood had been keeping unwell. On Sunday, this news combined with the widespread Internet shutdown in Pakistan and a video from a Pakistani YouTuber, fuelled speculation on social media that Dawood had been poisoned by “unknown men”’ and had probably died. One X post even had details of Dawood’s funeral cortege which was then widely copied without attribution and posted liberally on X and Facebook.

Indian social media frenzy connected the Internet shutdown in Pakistan with Islamabad’s desire to keep the news under wraps. Debunking the connection, sources here said the shutdown was related to Imran Khan’s PTI’s “virtual jalsa” which the authorities wanted to prevent.