Fact Check : Discord between two groups passed off as violence due to smuggling of cows

India is gearing up for a significant electoral year in 2024. Which comprise both general elections 2024 to elect the members of the 18th Lok Sabha and assembly elections in several states. Wheres the country is all set to conduct its elections in 2024, there's a loots of viral video spread on social media to create rumour and intense to create awkward situation.

Now a days a video is circulated on social media with a caption "Police took action against cow smugglers in Damoh, MP and in retaliation Jihad mob attacked police station & police officers. “

Fact Check:

When we searched the key frames in the video using Google reverse image search, we found the claim to be False. In the search results, we found many videos which were telecast by different news agencies. In many of the news reports, they briefed about the incident but not regarding any communal violence. Also, we found a Hindi caption in a majority of the websites: “दमोह में टेलर और इमाम से मारपीट “.

When we searched YouTube with this caption, we have found so many videos from different angles from different news channels.

According to the news reports, the incident occurred on February 3, 2024 in the evening when a group of people had a dispute with a tailor with regard to stitching a garment. When another person tried to help the tailor escape the situation, the group of people attacked him, which soon escalated into exchange of fisticuffs. It’s a coincidence that both the groups belong to different religion. The violent turn of the event created a tense situation and a large number of people gathered at a police station demanding that the cops take immediate action against the other group. The group of people who squatted at the police station even entered into an argument with the police at the station. To maintain law & order, police registered a case against four persons, basing on an FIR. Another case was also registered against 30 people who protested outside the police station.

The CMO of Madhya Pradesh took to X and posted: “Because of few people there is a tension situation in Damoh District which was controlled by the Administration & Police. Also the CM instructed to take strong action against those who were found guilty in this case.“ 

Also, the Public Relation department posted on their official X account: “The District collector instructed to make a Magistrate level enquiry on this incidence.

According to News 18 Hindi : The tailor's failure to stitch the garment on time proved so costly that a fierce fight broke out between the two parties.

Amar Ujala also Published a article on this incident “ टेलर से मारपीट में भिड़े हिंदू-मुस्लिम पक्ष, पुलिस ने संभाला मोर्चा, मुख्यमंत्री ने दिए जांच के निर्देश “

Basing on the above evidence, we found the claim that violence broke out due to smuggling of cows is False. Discord between two groups of different religions escalated into violence in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh.