In what appears to be a case of media distortion, a reputable publication in India has published a report claiming that the Royal Nepali Army has occupied thousands of acres of Indian land. Published as if it were an eyewitness account, the report was featured on the front page of Punjab Keshari. It said the Nepali army was advancing into Indian territory, taking over several patrolling beats of the Indian Special Security Bureau (SSB) including Balganga, Pasauna, Bhedhari and Susta. The story went on to report that the Nepali government had sent fighter planes to the area and that clashes had occurred between Nepali troops and SSB troops. It reported Nepali spy planes in the Indian sky, taking off from bases at places like Susta. The story was said to be filed by an undercover reporter of Punjab Keshari who found more than 20,000 Nepali soldiers in the ?Nepal-occupied Indian lands? distributing Nepali citizenship to locals. The story said the SSB had sent an SOS to the Home Ministry in New Delhi, which had referred the case to the Minister of External Affairs. The report is so unconvincing that even the most uninformed readers would realise that there is no truth in it. But the question is: why was it published at all?