Video from Lucknow goes viral as demonetised Indian ₹500 notes found on Pakistani roads

This viral video is not from Pakistan. It was shot in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

A video showing two children holding bundles of ₹500 notes is going viral on social media with the claim that the old ₹500 notes, which have become useless after the Modi government demonetised these notes, are now seen on Pakistani roads.

In an effort to combat money laundering and remove “black money” from the economy, PM Modi unveiled a controversial strategy on 8 November, 2016. He declared that the Mahatma Gandhi series’ Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes will no longer be accepted as lawful money.

The caption states, “Our old Indian 500 rupees notes in Pakistan. Old paper mart boys are flaunting it from their kachra collecting handcart. Now people will understand why our beloved PM Modi Ji called for Demonetisation”.

Let’s check the truth

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The same video is going viral on Facebook as well.

Fact Check- 

By conducting a reverse image search on one of the video’s key frames, we found a news report by Free Press Journal published on 31 December 2024 which carried screenshots from the video. The report explained what was happening in the video, but did not mention where the incident took place.

Moving forward, we came across an Instagram post by an account named akhimishra511, this account appeared to be the source of the viral video, uploading it on 27 December 2024. This shows the full video, followed by inputs from the creator, who clarified that the video was shot in Uttar Pradesh, specifying the location as ‘Aashiyaana Chouraha’ in Lucknow.

On January 1, 2025, an Instagram user Brijesh Mishra reposted the clip, claiming he had personally interacted with the boys. According to him, two child sanitation workers were spotted by him at Aashiyana Junction in Lucknow, carrying bundles of old ₹500 notes while riding a rickshaw.  He made a video of them and posted it on his nephew’s Instagram account and his own account.  Brijesh also uploaded a detailed video on his YouTube channel, showing the children and confirming the incident occurred in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, not Pakistan.

Furthermore, comparing the scenes in the viral video with visuals from Google Street View of Aashiyana Junction in Lucknow, it is clear that the viral video was filmed in Lucknow.

Taking account of all these evidences, we can understand that the video of demonetised Indian ₹500 notes is not from Pakistan. The incident took place in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Conclusion- 

Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral video to be False. This viral video is not from Pakistan. It was shot in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.