Monday, 01 July 2024
Monday, 01 July 2024
In an age where social media fame can be instant, the drive to create compelling content has pushed many to the brink of danger. Making "reels" — short, engaging videos typically shared on platforms like Instagram and Youtube — has become a popular pastime. However, the pursuit of viral content has turned deadly for some, as thrill-seekers and aspiring influencers take increasingly risky actions for the perfect shot.
1. Shweta Survase (Maharashtra)
A 23-year-old woman, Shweta Survase, from Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, tragically died on June 17, 2024 while creating a social media reel near the Dutt Dham Temple hill. The viral video captures the fatal moment when Shweta mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, causing her Toyota Etios to reverse rapidly and plummet 300 feet into a gorge.
2. Ashutosh Sahu (Chhattisgarh)
A 20-year-old BCA student from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, met a tragic end while filming an Instagram reel on March, 2023. The youth, identified as Ashutosh Sahu, along with his college friends, ventured to the terrace of an old building for the perfect shot. Ignoring the inherent danger, Sahu climbed onto the sun shade of a window and, amid the encouraging words of his friends, jumped on the fragile structure. A chilling video captured by his friends records the moment before the sun shade gave way, leading to his fatal fall.
3. Shivam Kumar (Uttar Pradesh)
A quest for social media fame ended in tragedy for 21-year-old Shivam Kumar in Janpad Banda's Khairada village. Shivam on April 18, 2024, joined his friends at a Junior High School rooftop to film an Instagram reel. Attempting to hang upside down from a flagpole while raising a flag, Shivam misjudged the pole's strength. It collapsed under his weight, fatally crushing him.
4. Yashwant Nagar (Rajasthan)
A 22-year-old man, Yashwant Nagar from Jhalawar district, tragically died while filming a social media reel in Kota on May 1, 2024. The humanities student was accidentally shot in the chest by a friend during the shoot. Yashwant was rushed to New Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
5. Kavin Sidharth (Tamil Nadu)
A tragic quest for the perfect selfie claimed the life of 20-year-old Kavin Sidharth, a third-year BBA student, in a Chennai college on June 17, 2024. While atop a goods train to capture photos of his friends and the surroundings, Kavin accidentally touched a high-tension wire. The resulting electric shock threw him from the train, leading to his death.
As the digital age evolves, the quest for online recognition must be balanced with a strong sense of responsibility and safety. Only then can the allure of social media fame be pursued without the shadow of fatal risks.
