Indian Model Poonam Pandey Sparks Outrage with Fake Cervical Cancer Death Announcement

In a shocking turn of events, Indian model Poonam Pandey has triggered widespread backlash after falsely claiming her death on Instagram, citing cervical cancer as the cause. The announcement, made in what seemed like an official statement on her social media accounts, stated that Pandey had “bravely fought the disease” and succumbed to it.

The faux announcement led to an immediate surge of reports, obituaries, and condolences from both media outlets and Bollywood stars, who mournfully paid tribute to the alleged demise of the 32-year-old model. Her Wikipedia page was also updated to reflect the false news of her death.

However, suspicions arose among followers who noted that Pandey had posted footage of herself on a boat in Goa, seemingly in good health, just four days before the death announcement. This raised skepticism about the authenticity of the news.

Addressing the controversy, Pandey posted a video on Instagram a day later, admitting that her death announcement was a hoax. In the video, she defended her actions, stating, “Yes, I faked my demise, extreme I know. But suddenly we all are talking about cervical cancer, aren’t we? I am proud of what my death news has been able to achieve.”

Despite her claim of raising awareness about cervical cancer, Pandey faced severe criticism for what many deemed “attention-seeking behavior” and a “manipulative stunt.” Commenters expressed their disapproval, emphasizing the unethical nature of faking one’s death for publicity.

Poonam Pandey, known for her modeling career since 2010, has often courted controversy with her bold stunts and risqué behavior. She gained notoriety by pledging to strip for the Indian cricket team if they won the 2011 Cricket World Cup, a promise she fulfilled with a video posted online.

Cervical cancer is a significant health concern in India, accounting for nearly one-quarter of global cases, as reported by the World Health Organization. More than 200 women lose their lives to the disease every day in the country. Health campaigners have been advocating for a national HPV vaccination campaign for young girls, similar to successful initiatives in other countries that have reduced cervical cancer incidence.

In an ironic twist, Pandey concluded her Instagram post by sharing a clip of a speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, discussing the government’s support for cervical cancer vaccination in the 2024 budget. The entire episode has ignited discussions about the ethics of using such deceptive means for awareness campaigns.