Indian model Poonam Pandey has said that she is alive and faked her death to raise awareness about cervical cancer.

“I’m alive. I didn’t die because of cervical cancer,” she said in a video post on Instagram. “Unfortunately, I cannot say about hundreds and thousands of women who have lost their lives because of cervical cancer.”

On Friday, Indian media reported that Pandey died due to cervical cancer after a post made on her official Instagram confirmed the model’s death. “Poonam Pandey, the beloved actress and social media personality, has tragically passed away this morning due to Cervical Cancer, leaving the entertainment industry in shock and mourning,” said the post on Instagram.

But she clarified in a video on Saturday that the news was released to raise cancer awareness.

Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Indian women. Regular Pap smear tests also help with early detection of the disease.

“It is not because they could not do anything about it, because they had no idea what to do about it,” she said and added that, unlike other cancers, cervical cancer is preventable.

She urged the affected patients to get their tests done and get the HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine.

“We can do all this and more to make sure that no more life lost to this disease,” she said.

In another post, she urged her followers and social media users to recognise the alarming concern burdening women worldwide. “The sheer lack of awareness surrounding this issue was the mere reason that compelled me to take this unconventional step.”