Fact Check: Did an Indian Hindu Priest Die Trying to Fly Off a Cliff?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A video of a man falling off a cliff has gone viral on Instagram [archive], Facebook, TikTok, X, and YouTube. The man is said to be a Hindu priest in Andhra Pradesh, India, who died while attempting to demonstrate his flying skills to his followers.

Initially, the man appears to be performing a number of rituals in front of a garland of flowers and various religious paraphernalia. He then walks to the edge of a cliff and falls, hitting the cliff several times.

But did the priest really fall off the cliff after attempting to fly?

FACT CHECK

Tempo verified the content using a reverse image search and information from credible sources. The results showed that the man in the video was performing a Sravana ritual and died from the fall. The incident occurred in 2021.

He fell not to prove to his followers that he could fly, but purely by accident. The place of worship is indeed located in a steep, hilly area.

Several Indian media outlets have published the video since 2021. One such outlet, the Times of India, reported on the incident in August 2021. The media outlet stated that the man was participating in a special prayer ahead of the month of Shravana, a holy month for Indian Hindus closely associated with the god Shiva.

The man in the video, identified as Papayya, also known as Appa Papaiah, aged 49–55, died on the spot after falling from a height of approximately 90 meters in the Gampa Mallayya Swamy Temple area in Chinna Jalalapuram Village, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh, India.

A report by the Deccan Chronicles, a southern Indian media outlet, stated that the prayer complex is located in a remote area with difficult access to the hilltop.

Indian fact-checking outlet Factly concluded that the video was not related to the practice of flying magic, but was purely an accident. The then-Singanamala Sub-Inspector, Vamsikrishna, stated that the victim slipped around 9:00 a.m. while trying to move to the cave to continue the ritual.

The chronology in the initial police report (first information report) confirms the details of the incident. "He accidentally slipped on a rock, fell from a height, suffered severe injuries to several parts of his head, hands, knees, and left leg, and died at the scene," the report reads in part.

CONCLUSION

Tempo's Fact Check Team concluded that the narrative claiming the video of an Indian Hindu priest died after falling off a cliff while performing a flying stunt is misleading.

TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM

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