Kozhikode Doctor Files Cybercrime Complaint After Photo Misused in Delhi Blast Coverage

A Kozhikode-based cardiologist has lodged a cybercrime complaint after his photograph was mistakenly circulated online as that of an accused in the Delhi blast case, causing concern within Kerala’s medical community.

The image of Dr Arif Mohammed, who works at a leading private hospital in Kozhikode, was lifted from his Facebook profile and used by several North Indian media outlets and social media users. The posts falsely linked him to the blast investigation, triggering widespread alarm.

Dr Mohammed has approached the Kozhikode City Cyber Crime Police, seeking a probe into how his photo was sourced and circulated.

In reality, the Delhi Police had arrested Dr Mohammad Arif, an MD cardiology student at GSVM Medical College in Kanpur. However, during news updates, some media platforms mistakenly published the Kozhikode doctor’s photograph alongside the arrested student's name, creating a damaging case of misidentification.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Kozhikode district committee condemned the incident. District president Dr K. Sandhya Kurup and secretary Dr Ranjith P termed it a “serious mistake” and urged strict corrective action.

The IMA has called for accountability from those responsible for spreading the misinformation and emphasised the need for better safeguards to protect professionals from similar digital errors.