The Jayanagar assembly bypoll which is scheduled for June 11, is already in news for the wrong reasons. A  photoshopped image of Congress candidate Sowmya Reddy eating non vegetarian food is being circulated on social media for malicious gains. The fake image, which was posted first by Jayanagar Welfare Association according to ALT News, had previously targeted Sowmya Reddy in other posts too.

One post crossed limits of decency by trying to body shame the Congress candidate by saying that "she is growing fatter by the day". The post, compared her to the AAP and BJP candidate saying that while the other party candidates were losing weight due to campaigning, Sowmya Reddy was gaining weight at the same time.

ALT News claims that Sowmya Reddy approached the website saying that the image that was being circulated was photoshopped. She clarified that she was contesting from Jayanagar which will go for by-election on June 11 and that she has been an activist for the past decade and a half. She further stated her reasons for joining politics and claimed to be an animal and environmental rights activist and she being a vegetarian from a very young age.

Sowmya Reddy also sent original images which were different than those which were circulated. As opposed to the image that has been going viral, the actual image shows an empty plate in front of Sowmya Reddy and she talking on the phone. The anti-fake news website which is known for exposing paid and fake news, in its research found that the doctored image showing butter chicken in Sowmya's plate was indeed fake. Such instances of fake news supplemented by false or doctored images are often used before and during election period.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 07, 2018 04:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).