Fact Check: Video of leopard roaming in factory is from Telangana, not Uttar Pradesh
The video dates back to 2022 and is from Telangana.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 19 Jun 2023 10:27 AM GMT
Screengrab of the post tweeted by the handle @infokhabrimedia
Hyderabad: A video of a leopard roaming in what seems to be a factory is going viral on social media, claiming that the video is from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. A Twitter user shared the video with the caption, “A leopard entered a factory at Lal Kuan in Ghaziabad. On seeing the leopard, there was a stir in the factory and people started running here and there." (Translated)
(Source: Twitter/@infokhabrimedia)
A Facebook user also shared the same video claiming the same.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the video dates back to 2022 and is from Telangana. On performing a reverse image search of the video’s keyframe, we came across a report by Telangana Today from December 17, 2022, which carried a video showing similar visuals.
It said a leopard strayed onto the premises of Hetero Pharmaceuticals Limited unit at Gadda Potharam Industrial Area in Sangareddy district in Telangana. The leopard remained inside the plant an entire night, and forest and police officials were informed after a security staff noticed it inside the premises.
(Source: Telangana Today)
A report by The News Minute from December 17, 2022, said the leopard was a male aged around five to six years. It was captured in about four hours by a team of 10 members from the Hyderabad Nehru Zoological Park using chemical immobilisation. The immobile leopard was first caged and then moved to Hyderabad Zoo.
A December 18, 2022 report by the Scroll also reported the incident in an article titled “Leopard wanders into pharmaceutical company’s factory in Telangana, gets rescued later.” The report carried several videos posted by Twitter users, which showed visuals similar to the viral video.
Hence, we conclude that the viral video of the leopard is from Telangana and not Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
