A popular Indian YouTuber has been arrested after allegedly spreading public fear with a viral video claiming Goa’s Manohar International Airport was built on a cremation ground and plagued by paranormal activity.
Akshay Vashisht, who runs a channel with more than 572,000 subscribers, was detained earlier this week in New Delhi after Goa Police traced his video titled “Evil Haunted Goa Airport,” which had been widely shared on social media.
Police say the clip contained “false, malicious and superstitious claims,” including that airport staff had seen an apparition of a woman in a red sari on the runway—supposedly prompting pilots to avoid night flights. Vashisht was also accused of fabricating follower testimonials to bolster his claims in order to boost views and the popularity of his channel, which focuses on local ghost stories.
In an Instagram post on September 18, Vashisht called his arrest “unjust and illegal,” alleging that police harassed him during questioning at Mopa Police Station.
Vashisht’s channel is known for its dramatic storytelling and spooky tales set across India, but police stressed that his latest video had gone too far, damaging the reputation of a major national infrastructure project.
