Leopard video from Hyderabad going viral claiming it is from Mumbai.
Ever since the lockdown with decrease in human outdoor activities various videos of animals out in the open have been going viral.
Claim: A video of a leopard on a road has been going viral stating that it is of a leopard spotted at Sion area in Mumbai midst the corona lockdown.
The claim has been shared on Facebook stating it is a scene from Sion area, Mumbai. The videos have received over 7000 views.
The below video was shared on Facebook stating that a Cheetah was spotted in Mumbai, later the clarification was added in the caption along with a link to a TOI news article.
Indian actress, Raveena Tandon tweeted the video with the viral claim, tagging Praveen Kaswan (a forest official) in the tweet and asking it to be verified. She also mentioned that she received the video via WhatsApp.
In Sion ,mumbai. – via wassap. @ParveenKaswan can you verify this and what was the outcome ? Any news,anyone has of this leopard? pic.twitter.com/kockpS1F5S
— Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) May 15, 2020
Few other accounts posted the claim on Twitter.
Sion bridge in Mumbai, leopard not concerned & feels its his territory. Effect of lockdown of 2 legged animals. pic.twitter.com/guBF7SuXKj
— GpCaptJSMallhi-TRUE,Not 'FAKE' Nationalist;Secular (@malhijs) May 15, 2020
Leopard on roads in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/JFLx88CErN
— JC 🇮🇳 (@jags1980) May 15, 2020
The video has also been widely circulated on WhatsApp.
Truth
The claim is false. The video of leopard on the road is not from Sion. Mumbai. The incident took place in Hyderabad.
Praveen Kaswan, IFS (Indian Forest Service), a forest official replied to Raveena Tandon’s tweet stating the video is from Hyderabad and the leopard seems to be injured. Upon doing a simple keyword search multiple reports by various news websites such as NDTV, Mumbai Mirror, Hindustan Times, Times of India,etc appeared that carried article about leopard being spotted in Hyderabad with videos and photos that looks similar to the viral video. The incident occurred on a road at Mailardevpally on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Thursday. The motorists passing through Katedan under-bridge were shocked to spot a leopard resting besides the road. Â A rescue team from the forest department with the help of police rescued the leopard.
Attached below is the tweet by Praveen Kaswan as a reply to Raveena Tandon’s tweet.
This video was from Hyderabad. Yesterday. The leopard seems injured. Ran away nearby farms later. Hope it will find its way home soon. https://t.co/aZFpfz0RcC
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) May 15, 2020
This is the news video published by Hindustan Times.
Source: Hindustan Time
Given below is the screenshot and link of the news that Mumbai Mirror carried about the incident.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
Note the similarities between the screenshot from the viral video and the screenshot from the video Hindustan Times carried which proves that viral claim is false.
Screenshot from the viral video
Screenshot from the video Hindustan Times featuredÂ
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