No, the video is not of EVM machines caught in a BJP leader’s car in Karnataka.

Claim

Breaking-Local people created ruckus after EVM machine was caught in BJP leaders car. #KarnatakadalliCongresstsunami

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Explanation

The Karnataka state assembly elections were held on May 10. Around 72 percent voting has been recorded and the counting of votes will be held on Saturday (May 13).

The Congress party supporters are circulating a video purportedly showing local people breaking EVM machines that are being carried in a car with the claim that local people created a ruckus after an EVM machine was caught in a BJP leader’s car during Karnataka assembly elections. Some of the posts with such a claim can be seen here and here.

What is the truth?

When searching with relevant keywords we found that the incident took place on May 10 in the village of Masabinal in Vijayapura district of Karnataka state. The Hindu article is found carrying matching visual from the viral video mentioning that a mob topples a car and smashes EVM machines in Masabinal village in Vijayapura district, after wrongly believing that officers had stopped polling mid-way and were taking the machines out of the booth on Wednesday.

Another video from the same location is found tweeted by The Hindu – Bengaluru Twitter page on 10, May 2023 with the caption “A mob topples a car and smashes EVM machines after wrongly believing that officers had stopped polling mid-way and were taking away the machines in Masabinal village in #Vijayapura district”.

The News Minute article reported that the voting machines and VVPAT machines were kept in reserve for use in case of machine failure and were being transported back to Vijayapura from the Bisanala village when the incident occurred. “According to reports, residents of the village questioned the election staff about the machines, but when they did not receive a satisfactory answer, they broke the voting machines believing that the polling process had been suspended midway. Visuals show voters banging the EVMs against the ground in protest.”

The Twitter handle of ‘Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka’ took to Twitter to convey that when some election officers take back the voting and VVPAT machines that were additionally secured in Basavana Bagewadi constituency to Masabinal, 100-150 people blocked the vehicle and attacked the machines and the vehicle. 24 people were arrested as a result of this incident.

Looking at this information, it can be seen that the machines were transported back by the election officials and they do not belong to the BJP party nor is he a BJP leader.

Youturn fact-checked and published articles on other rumours that were spread related to the Karnataka assembly elections. Click the below links to read about the same.

Video of seizing cash stuffed in a car spare tyre is not related to the ongoing Karnataka elections.

Did a BBC Survey state BJP would win in Karnataka?

Did people of Karnataka chase BJP cadres away ?

A 2019 video of actor Prakash Raj is circulated in social media with false claims.

Conclusion

It is found that when the election officials take back the additional voting machines in Karnataka, the public misunderstood and attacked them. The Election Commission has also explained this. Also, it is learned that the person who transported the machines was not a BJP leader.

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