Unrelated video from Kerala shared as ‘open cow slaughter by Muslims’ in Karnataka

(Trigger Warning: Logically Facts has refrained from adding active links to the video of the incident due to its distressing nature. However, due to the presence of archive links to the video, reader discretion is advised.)

What's the claim?

A video circulating on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube shows what appears to be a deceased cow placed on the bonnet of a jeep. The footage is accompanied by claims suggesting that members of the Muslim community in the south Indian state of Karnataka are “openly slaughtering cows” on the streets.

The 17-second video also shows a large crowd surrounding the vehicle with the animal carcass on it. Some men can also be seen atop the vehicle, seemingly tying something to it. Text in English overlaid on the video reads "Jay Shri Ram," while some Hindi text says, "Share this video as much as possible; in Karnataka, people of the Muslim community are openly killing cows on the streets (translation)."

One such post has garnered approximately 33,600 views. Archives of such posts can be found here and here.

Screenshot of the viral X posts. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

This narrative has also been circulated on YouTube. An archived version of the YouTube video can be accessed here.

Contrary to the claims, however, the video originates from a protest in Wayanad, a district in the south Indian state of Kerala, not Karnataka. It depicts a protest where locals tied the carcass of a bull, which was killed by a tiger, to a forest department jeep.

What did we find?

We found no recent reports from Karnataka about the alleged “open slaughter of cows” by the Muslim community.

Additionally, we noticed that a sign on the building behind the jeep in the viral video contained text in Malayalam, not Kannada.

Next, through a reverse image search of keyframes from the viral video, we discovered the same video shared by an Instagram account named 'wayanadview,' posted on February 17, 2024. The video included a Malayalam caption that translates to "When the people took the law into their own hands in Pulpally."

Pulpally is a town located in the Wayanad district of Kerala.

Screenshot of the video posted by the Instagram account, WayanadView. Source: (Instagram/Modified by Logically Facts)

We also found a YouTube video from a news segment about the incident, uploaded on the channel Kerala Vision News 24x7, a news portal based in Kerala. The Malayalam description of the video translates to, "Wildlife attacks; People's anger is roaring in Wayanad." The news segment featured a Malayalam news anchor reporting on the escalating public outcry regarding wild animal attacks in Pulpally, Wayanad.

The report stated that protesters expressed frustration over these wildlife attacks and intercepted a forest department vehicle. They then placed the carcass of a cow, which had been killed by a wild animal, on top of the vehicle and even laid a wreath on it.

From the 50-second mark to around the 1-minute mark, the video shows men placing the cow's carcass onto the vehicle's bonnet. The footage in the report matches that of the viral video, as does the building in the background.

Comparison of the viral footage with a news segment from Kerala Vision News 24x7 on YouTube. (Source: X/YouTube)

Additionally, we noticed that the structure in the video featured Malayalam text reading "കമ്പ്യൂട്ടർ പരിശീലന കേന്ദ്രം," which translates to “Computer Training Center.” Using this information, we identified the exact location on Google Maps as a bus stop on Pulpally-Seethamount-Kolavally Road in Kerala.

The viral footage and a screenshot from Google Maps show the location of Pulpally, Kolavally Road in Kerala. (Source: X/Google Maps)

Protest in Pulpally, Wayanad

The Hindu reported in February 2024 that a protest organized by an all-party action council in Pulpally, Wayanad district of Kerala, escalated into violence. The demonstration was initiated in response to the death of a man in an elephant attack and turned violent when government officials and representatives failed to provide written assurances to the protesters.

At the protest, held at the bus stand, the report stated that protesters brought the carcass of a bull, reportedly killed by a tiger near Pulpally, and tied it to a Forest Department utility vehicle’s bonnet. The protestors also placed a wreath on it, and some demonstrators damaged the vehicle.

The report included a photo that resembles the scene in the viral video and the bus stop as seen on Google Maps.

Logically Facts contacted the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department for comment on the viral video. K.V Biju, Range Forest Officer at Rapid Response Team, Wayanad, Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department, informed us, “This incident happened in Kerala, Wayanad, and Pulpally. The actual incident is that local people put a cow’s dead body on the jeep of the forest department because the tiger killed it.” He also confirmed that the incident occurred in February 2024.

The verdict

The viral video falsely claims to show Muslims openly slaughtering a cow in Karnataka. In reality, the video originates from Wayanad, Kerala, and shows a protest where protestors tied the carcass of a bull, killed by a tiger, to a forest department jeep in February 2024. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.