A video of some people parading an injured horse has been forwarded to our 24*7 Factline number 9049053770. It has been claimed that during the rituals of Muharram in Mumbai, Muslims took this horse and repeatedly mutilated it with a knife.
The video was shared on Twitter (X) too.
However, as we investigated, we came to know that the horse was actually painted. Here’s the fact check.
Fact Check
We started our investigation by conducting a relevant keyword search on Google and found a report published in Lokmat Times on 18 July 2024.
The report contained a tweet from the cruelty case division legal advisor and manager of PETA India. The tweet read, “We object to the use of any animal during processions. In this case, the Dongri police tell us the horse was painted. This is also highly objectionable, but the horse is not lacerated. PETA India offered a mechanical elephant for a Muharram procession this year but our offer was not taken up, but we persist”.
A user replied that the horse didn’t seem to be painted…it looked like wounds.
Replying to the user, Ashar Meet attached two YouTube links and wrote, “We spoke with a Police Inspector at Dongri police station who confirmed that the horse was painted. She was present during the procession and was shocked to see the horse herself. She went close to the horse and asked the person handling the horse about the marks. She was asked to touch the marks and confirm it for herself which she did. She seemed proactive and empathetic towards animal related matters. We’ve requested her to raise this concern with the procession organisers since a lot of people were concerned for the horse after this video emerged and it could give wrong ideas to people. She agreed with us and said she would be meeting with the procession organisers soon for an upcoming procession and promised to raise this with them then”.
Moving forward we checked the YouTube link provided by Ashar Meet. From the timestamp 16:00, it can be seen that a person was painting the horse with a spray bottle.
A report from The Free Press Journal can be read here.
Another YouTube video can be seen below.
When Fact Crescendo contacted the Dongri police station, Police Sub-Inspector Pandurang Waghmare refuted the viral claim, saying that no such incident took place in Hazrat Imam Hussain Chowk and the video is going viral with false claims.
It is worth mentioning that the Shia Muslim community observes the day of Ashura on the 10th day of Muharram in remembrance of the horse of Imam Hussain, who was seriously injured during the battle of Karbala.
Conclusion
From our investigation, we can say that the claim made with the viral video is misleading. What seemed like blood and cut marks on the body of the horse were actually body paints. It’s a ritual followed by the Shia Muslims during Ashura.
Title:Truth Behind The ‘Injured Horse’ Which Was Paraded In Mumbai.
Fact Check By: Debanjana BaishyaResult: Misleading
