Authors
An enthusiastic journalist, researcher and fact-checker, Shubham believes in maintaining the sanctity of facts and wants to create awareness about misinformation and its perils. Shubham has studied Mathematics at the Banaras Hindu University and holds a diploma in Hindi Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. He has worked in The Print, UNI and Inshorts before joining Newschecker.
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Karnataka citizens destroy EVMs after finding them in a BJP leader’s car
Fact
The locals had damaged reserve EVMs after seizing them from an election officer’s car, not a BJP leader.
Several social media users are circulating a video, where people are breaking what appears to be EVMs, claiming that the citizens in Karnataka caught a BJP leader who was travelling with the machines after the elections. Newschecker’s investigation found the claim to be false.
A voter turnout of nearly 72 per cent was reportedly recorded in the Karnataka Assembly elections on May 10, following high-voltage campaigns by the ruling BJP, a combative Congress and the JD(S). The results will be out on May 13.
The archived versions of the tweets can be seen here and here.
Also read: Circular Claiming CBSE Results Will Be Declared On May 11 Is Fake
Fact check
Newschecker ran a reverse image search of keyframes of the video, which led us to this Dainik Bhaskar report, dated May 10, 2023, featuring a screengrab of the viral video. According to the report, the video is from Karnataka’s Vijayapura district, where some people broke EVMs and VVPAT machines, while vandalising the vehicles of polling officers.
The viral video was also uploaded by News 18, stating the incident happened in Vijayapura.
A relevant keyword search led us to this Deccan Chronicle article, dated May 10, 2023, stating that few villagers in Masabinala village of Vijayapura district stopped the vehicle of a sector officer and damaged the reserve EVMs on Wednesday. The incident occurred around noon when a sector officer’s vehicle was transporting reserve EVMs to the Basavanabagevadi constituency.
“Officials reported that the villagers mistook the EVMs for being taken to be misused and thus damaged them,” read the report, adding that 23 people were arrested in connection to the incident.
We also came across this tweet by the chief electoral officer of Karnataka, confirming the incident, along with a press note.
A tweet by the deputy commissioner of Vijayapura district stated that a sector officer’s vehicle carrying reserve EVMs was stopped by villagers, who damaged the EVMs
Conclusion
A viral video was falsely claimed to show Karnataka citizens damaging EVMs after they seized it from a “BJP MLA’s car”. The citizens had stopped a sector officer’s car and damaged the reserve EVMs in Vijayapura.
Result: False
Source
Dainik Bhaskar report, May 10, 2023
Tweet, chief electoral officer, Karnataka, May 10, 2023
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Authors
An enthusiastic journalist, researcher and fact-checker, Shubham believes in maintaining the sanctity of facts and wants to create awareness about misinformation and its perils. Shubham has studied Mathematics at the Banaras Hindu University and holds a diploma in Hindi Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. He has worked in The Print, UNI and Inshorts before joining Newschecker.
Kushel HM is a mechanical engineer-turned-journalist, who loves all things football, tennis and films. He was with the news desk at the Hindustan Times, Mumbai, before joining Newschecker.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
