Surat: A viral social media message claiming that five girls had been kidnapped from the Opera House apartment in the Mota Varachha area has turned out to be false.

Taking the viral audio clip seriously, Surat City Police launched an extensive probe across multiple areas, including Mota Varachha, Varachha, Katargam, Khatodara and City Light. Police teams personally checked all apartments and housing societies named “Opera House” in these localities.

The investigation found that no child had been kidnapped and no missing complaint had been registered anywhere in the city in connection with the viral message, officials said.

સુરત:ઓપેરા હાઉસ એપાર્ટમેન્ટમાંથી નાના બાળકોના અપહરણ અંગે ફેલાયેલી અફવા સંપૂર્ણપણે ખોટી છે..સુરત શહેર પોલીસ દ્વારા લોકોને અપીલ છે કે આવી ખોટી અફવાઓથી દૂર રહો અને જો કોઈ ખોટી અફવા ફેલાવશે તો તેના વિરુદ્ધ કડક કાર્યવાહી કરવામાં આવશે.@CMOGuj @sanghaviharsh @dgpgujarat @GujaratPolice pic.twitter.com/ZymutsGDr2

— Surat City Police (@CP_SuratCity) February 17, 2026

Furthermore, a parent residing in the Opera House apartment, whose daughter was mentioned in the rumour, came forward to deny the claim. He stated that the information circulating on social media was completely false and had arisen from a misunderstanding, and urged citizens not to believe or spread unverified rumours.

Social media page admin apologises

Bhavesh Ghasal Bhogar, owner of the “Surat City News” page, issued a formal apology for uploading a video claiming that children were being kidnapped. He admitted the video was “absolutely fake” and said he had posted it without prior verification or confirmation.

 

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Warning against spreading false messages

Surat Police issued a strict warning that forwarding unverified messages on social media is an offence and can create unnecessary panic and social unrest. Officials said legal action would be taken under relevant provisions of the law against those responsible for spreading false information.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Lakhadhir Zala reiterated that no such kidnapping incident had taken place in any “Opera House” apartment in Surat and assured citizens that the police remain fully committed to the safety of residents and children.

Police have urged the public not to circulate alarming or unverified messages and to contact local authorities for confirmation of any suspicious information. Officials emphasised that responsible use of social media is essential to prevent fear and misinformation in society. DeshGujarat