A post has gone viral on social media claiming that flying Sikh Milkha Singh has passed away due to COVID-19. 

The post is being shared on Facebook with a caption that reads, “Flying Sikh Milkha Singh passed away due to Covid RIP” 

Here’s the link to the above post.

Check similar posts here, and here. 

FACT CHECK 

NewsMobile fact-checked the above claim and found it to be Misleading. 

Starting with our investigation, we searched the web for news about “Milkha Singh death due to COVID-19” but could not find any news reports corroborating the viral claim.

Many news reports stated that Milkha Singh, who is Covid-19 positive, was admitted to the ICU in Covid ward of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, on June 3, 2021, due to dipping levels of oxygen. But none of the reports stated that Milkha Singh passed away due to COVID-19. 

Searching further, we found a news report published on June 5, 2021, with the title, “Milkha Singh death reports a hoax, India legend responding well to treatment confirms PGIMER director.” 

We found a tweet by Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, dated June 5, 2021, in which he also refuted the viral claim about Milkha Singh’s demise. “Please don’t run false news and create rumours about the legendary athlete and pride of India Milkha Singh Ji. He is stable and let’s pray for his fast recovery,” reads the tweet. 

Please don’t run false news and create rumors about the legendary athlete and pride of India Milkha Singh Ji. He is stable and let’s pray for his fast recovery🙏

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) June 5, 2021

We also found a tweet by Jeev Milkha Singh (son of Milkha Singh) dated June 4, 2021, in which he confirmed that Milkha Singh is stable.

Many thanks to Prime Minister @narendramodi for taking time out from his busy schedule and call dad to find out about his health.

Dad had to shifted back to the hospital yesterday. He is stable.

And once again, thank you also to everyone who has kept him in their thoughts.

— Jeev Milkha Singh (@JeevMilkhaSingh) June 4, 2021

UPDATE

Editor’s Note: Former Indian Sprinter Milkha Singh passed away on June 18, 2021, after a month-long battle with COVID-19. “It is with extreme sadness that we would like to inform you that Milkha Singh Ji passed away at 11.30 pm on the 18th of June 2021,” read a family statement.

It should be noted that at the time when this fact check was published (on June 5, 2021), the posts about his demise were fake. Hence, NewsMobile has updated our fact check verdict from ‘Fake’ to ‘Misleading’.

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