Fact Check: Cow assaulted at ISKCON farm in Bangladesh? No, video is from Jalandhar
A video circulating on social media shows four men brutally beating a cow with sticks allegedly at an ISKCON farm in Bangladesh.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 7 Dec 2024 3:06 PM IST
Claim: The video shows a cow being assaulted at an ISKCON farm in Bangladesh.
Fact: The claim is false. The incident occurred at a dairy complex in Jalandhar, Punjab, India.
(Content Warning: This article discusses animal abuse, which some readers may find distressing. Reader discretion is advised.)
Hyderabad: The arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent ISKCON leader in Bangladesh, has sparked significant controversy and unrest. Das, also associated with the āBangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jot,ā was detained on charges of sedition. His arrest has drawn criticism from ISKCON and other organisations advocating for minority rights in Bangladesh.
Against this backdrop, a video circulating on social media shows four men brutally canning a cow until it loses consciousness. The accompanying caption claims the incident occurred on an ISKCON farm in Bangladesh.
(Note: We have opted not to include the link to the post in this story due to its disturbing content and to avoid further amplification.)
A Facebook user shared the video with the caption, āIsckon Cowās farm attacked in Bangladesh.ā
Another Facebook user shared the video and wrote, āThis video shows mobs in Bangladesh entering an ISKCON cowshed and attacking the cows. If they harbour such hatred towards animals and idols worshipped by Hindus, imagine the extent of their hatred towards Hindus themselves.ā (Translated from Telugu)
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false as the video is from Jalandhar, Punjab.
Upon a reverse image search of the videoās keyframes, we found that it was posted by X user Journalist Faisal on November 19, expressing distress over animal cruelty. In response, PETA India commented on the post, stating that the Sadar police station has filed an FIR under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act. āWe are currently in discussions with the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) to include provisions of the Prohibition of Cow Slaughter Act, 1955, in the FIR,ā the tweet read.
This confirmed that the video is from India, not Bangladesh.
We also came across screengrabs of the video in a report by Khabristan Punjabi from November 27, which confirmed that the video was filmed in Jalandhar, Punjab. According to a Tribune report from November 20, after the video of animal cruelty spread on social media, a group of residents, led by Shrist Bakshi of the Animal Protection Foundation, demanded action from the authorities.
They gathered outside PPR Mall and protested before heading to the Jamsher police station. The group called for immediate action against the perpetrators and the owner of the dairy where the incident allegedly occurred. Their efforts resulted in a complaint being filed with the police, urging an investigation and the tracing of the videoās mobile source to help identify those responsible.
We also found a copy of the FIR, filed on November 18, posted on the Facebook account of the Animal Protection Foundation. The social media post credited Shrist Bakshi (Yuvi Singh) and Abhishek Bakshi for their role in filing the FIR.
Speaking to NewsMeter, Shrist Bakshi confirmed that the incident took place in Jalandhar, Punjab. He said, āThe incident happened at Jamsher Dairy Complex in Jalandhar, Punjab. Those involved in assaulting the cow could be migrants from other states. There was no communal angle. We have lodged a complaint with the police. The police are conducting an investigation and the identity of the culprits will be confirmed once the inquiry is complete.ā
Therefore, we conclude that the video of animal cruelty is from Jalandhar, Punjab in India, not Bangladesh. The claim is false.
