Journalist Nidhi Tiwari Slams News18 and TV9 Bharatvarsh for Airing Her Photo in Suicide Story

An ABP News journalist, Nidhi Tiwari, has publicly called out News18 and TV9 Bharatvarsh for using her photograph in reports about the death of a social media influencer who shared the same name. Nidhi Tiwari, an anchor and producer at ABP News, said her image appeared in coverage of the suicide of Madhya Pradesh-based content creator Nidhi Tiwari.

In posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the journalist tagged News18 India and TV9 Bharatvarsh, saying the channels had failed to verify the identity of the person in the photograph before airing or publishing it. Miss Pretty India Winner Nidhi Tiwari Dies by Suicide; Her Last Facebook Post Goes Viral.

ABP News Journalist Nidhi Tiwari's Photo Wrongly Used in Coverage

@TV9Bharatvarsh वालों आप लोग भी?

मैं खुद एक news organisation में काम करती हूं. मुझे पता है कि खबर कितनी जल्दी करनी होती है, कितना pressure होता है लेकिन फिर भी... कम से कम एक बार verify तो करना चाहिए pic.twitter.com/fngbajIYT9

— Nidhi Tiwari (@NidhiTiwari2210) September 28, 2026

You Went Ahead and Aired My Photo, Says Journalist Nidhi Tiwari

@News18India वालों भांग खाकर बैठे हो क्या?

Nidhi Tiwari नाम की Social Media Influencer की suicide की खबर में मेरी फोटो चला दी

कम से कम खबर चलाने से पहले ये तो verify तो कर लिया करो कि जिस इंसान की फोटो लगा रहे हो वो वही है भी या नहीं pic.twitter.com/OIQfaijKMT

— Nidhi Tiwari (@NidhiTiwari2210) September 28, 2026

Journalist Flags Verification Lapse

Tiwari wrote that News18 India used her photo in a report on the death of the influencer. “At the very least, before running the news, make sure to verify whether the person whose photo you're using is actually the same one or not,” she posted, sharing a screenshot of the coverage. She later tagged TV9 Bharatvarsh with a similar complaint, noting that she works in a news organisation and understands the pressure of deadlines but still expects basic verification. The posts gained significant attention, with the first one receiving thousands of likes and hundreds of reposts.

The Mistake Was Immediately Acknowledged and Rectified

Nidhi Ji, We sincerely apologise for the inadvertent use of your photograph on one of the regional channels of the TV9 Network. This was an unintentional error, and we deeply regret the inconvenience and concern it may have caused you.

The mistake was immediately acknowledged…

— TV9 Bharatvarsh (@TV9Bharatvarsh) September 28, 2026

TV9 Network Responds With Apology

TV9 Bharatvarsh later replied to Tiwari’s post. The channel said the use of her photograph on one of its regional channels was an "inadvertent" and "unintentional error". "We deeply regret the inconvenience and concern it may have caused you. The mistake was immediately acknowledged and rectified as soon as it came to our attention. We once again extend our apologies and sincerely regret the oversight," the post read.

Background on the Influencer's Death

The separate Nidhi Tiwari, a 30-year-old content creator and former Miss Pretty India 2024 title holder from Singrauli district in Madhya Pradesh, died by suicide on Saturday, September 26. She had a combined following of about 1.6 million across Facebook and Instagram. Her body was found at her home in the Bhusa Mod area. Family members said she had been speaking on the phone with a man identified as Sonu Singh, based in Delhi, shortly before the incident. Police are investigating the circumstances. A final Facebook post by the influencer about self-love has circulated widely online.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2026 08:27 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).