Patna : A viral social media story claiming that a Russian woman travelled thousands of kilometres to marry a man from a poor family in Bihar has turned out to be fabricated. The video actually features Andrea Connolly, a representative associated with British non-governmental organisation Shivia, during a visit to Purnia district for a social initiative.
The viral narrative claimed that a man named Rahul from Bhagalpur had fallen in love with a Russian woman called Julie while working in Russia. Several social media accounts and media platforms circulated the story, with videos attracting millions of views. Some posts even claimed that the couple planned to marry in November 2026 with their families’ consent.
However, the people featured in the footage were misidentified, and the claims about the romance and planned marriage were not supported by the actual circumstances of the visit.
The man seen in the video is Namit, a resident of Purnia, rather than Rahul from Bhagalpur. The woman is Andrea Connolly, who is associated with Shivia, a British NGO that works with local organisation Saathi on initiatives aimed at helping women become self-employed.
NGO Team Visited Purnia For Community Work
Abhishek Kumar Singh, coordinator of Saathi, said a six-member team of women visited Purnia on October 7 and 8 to learn about the organisations’ grassroots work. Andrea was among the visitors.
During the visit, local women welcomed the team with a bouquet of roses, and Andrea visited some of their homes. Photographs of these interactions were later uploaded to the organisation’s social media accounts.
As the visitors moved through the village, residents gathered out of curiosity. Namit was among the locals present, and someone recorded a video of the gathering.
The footage was subsequently circulated online with a fabricated account claiming that Andrea was a Russian woman named Julie who had travelled to Bihar to marry Namit.
The bouquet visible in the viral footage was the same one presented to Andrea by local women during the welcome.
Saathi Considers Legal Action Over Misleading Claims
Singh said the women were guests of the organisation and had expressed concern about the circulation of the misleading video.
He added that Saathi was considering legal action against those responsible for spreading the false claims.
Singh also criticised media organisations for publishing the story without proper verification. He said the reports had damaged the reputation of the organisations involved and harmed India’s image.
Attempts to contact Namit were unsuccessful, as his mobile phone was switched off.
Residents Say Namit Had Never Travelled Abroad
Local residents said Namit had never travelled abroad and had gone to a neighbouring village after learning that a group of foreign women had arrived there.
The incident illustrates how footage from a genuine community visit can be recirculated online with false identities and an invented narrative. The viral claims about a Russian woman travelling to Bihar for marriage did not reflect the circumstances of the NGO team’s visit, according to Saathi’s coordinator.
