A ceiling fan bearing a “Made in Pakistan” label triggered panic, speculation, and a police probe in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar district after photographs of the appliance surfaced online and quickly went viral on social media.
The incident took place at Madrasa Qadriya Haqiqatul Uloom located in the Gosai Patti locality of Jungle Vishunpura village under the limits of Vishunpura police station. The controversy erupted after a local mechanic reportedly found the Pakistani marking while attempting to repair the fan.
Following the viral circulation of the image, police detained the madrassa manager and the individual who had donated the fan and initiated an inquiry into the origin of the appliance.
According to police officials, three ceiling fans installed at the madrassa had developed technical faults and were sent to a local repair shop. During the repair process, mechanic Akbar allegedly discovered that one of the fans carried a “Made in Pakistan” marking on its rear side.
A ceiling fan malfunctioned at a madrasa in Kushinagar. mechanic arrived to inspect it😂😂
The mechanic turned out to be a bigoted individual. upon noticing the inscription “Made in Pakistan” on the fan, his inner ‘Sanghi’ awakened, and he promptly alerted the police.
The… pic.twitter.com/sddts6VoPF
— Kavish aziz (@azizkavish) May 10, 2026
Akbar reportedly told investigators that while two of the fans were repaired without any difficulty, the third fan could not be opened easily. During closer examination, he noticed the Pakistani label on the appliance. Curious about the fan, he later searched online for information related to it.
During this time, a youth who was present at the repair shop allegedly photographed the label and circulated the image on social media. Within hours, the photograph began spreading rapidly across the locality, drawing public attention and triggering suspicion.
Soon after the image went viral, two individuals reportedly reached the repair shop and questioned the mechanic about the fan. They later informed the Vishunpura police station, prompting police teams to visit the madrassa and begin an investigation into the matter.
Vishunpura Station House Officer Vinay Mishra said police first visited the madrassa but learned that the fan had already been sent for repairs. The appliance was subsequently seized and brought to the police station for examination.
Police also took madrassa manager Mohammad Yunus and village resident Shamshuddin, who had donated the fan to the institution, into custody for questioning.
During interrogation, Shamshuddin allegedly informed investigators that his son, Wajid Ansari, had been working as a labourer in Saudi Arabia for nearly ten years. According to the family, Wajid purchased the fan in Saudi Arabia in 2020 for nearly 80 Saudi Riyals before shipping it to Kushinagar through cargo services.
The family further stated that the fan was donated to the madrassa in 2023 after the institution sought help from villagers to arrange fans for students struggling with extreme summer heat.
Police officials said they contacted Wajid Ansari through a video call and sought documents related to the purchase and transportation of the fan. After examining the records, investigators reportedly found no discrepancy or evidence of any illegal transaction linked to the appliance.
Authorities also carried out a search and verification exercise at the madrassa premises. However, officials stated that nothing suspicious was found during the inquiry.
Following the verification process, both Mohammad Yunus and Shamshuddin were released by the police.
Police officials maintained that no evidence of wrongdoing had emerged during the probe and that the fan appeared to have legally entered India after being purchased abroad by an Indian worker employed in Saudi Arabia.
Madrassa teacher Mohammad Merajuddin said the institution operates through community donations and contributions from local residents. According to him, the madrassa had appealed for assistance in arranging fans for children suffering in the heat, after which Shamshuddin donated the appliance.
“The fan had been functioning for nearly one-and-a-half years. The issue came to light only after it developed a fault and was sent for repairs,” he said.
The controversy soon sparked political reactions in the district after the image circulated widely online.
Phoolbad Kushwaha said he would meet district authorities and seek a detailed probe into how a Pakistan-manufactured fan reached the madrassa.
“If required, the matter will be investigated thoroughly. Action will be taken if any irregularity is found,” he said.
