Man Fakes Death on Busy UP Road for Reel, Arrested

Lucknow: Making reels for social media platforms proved costly for a man in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district as he ended up in police custody for pretending to be dead in a video. The video that has gone viral shows the man lying still on a busy road in Kasganj. The man has been identified as Mukesh Kumar (23).

The viral video was shared by a user @peepoye_ on X wherein a lifeless body can be seen covered with a white bed sheet. Kumar's nostrils were seen stuffed with cotton, attempting to create a realistic scene. However, his desire of online fame took a dramatic turn.

As the video concluded, Kumar abruptly came to life, erupting in laughter, leaving netizens surprised. The bystanders, who were also left in shock after they realised that they had been tricked into witnessing a prank, promptly notified the authorities.

As a consequence, police arrested Kumar for causing public disturbance.

According to Rajesh Bharti, Additional Superintendent of Police, Kasganj, the video was shot at Rajcold crossing in the district. He said the man shot a video while pretending to be dead and made it viral. "Taking cognisance of the video, Kasganj police has arrested one Mukesh Kumar, resident of the district. Necessary actions will follow," the ASP added.

Kumar's elaborate prank has sparked widespread criticism from netizens, who condemned him for his insensitive and "attention-seeking" behaviour. His video stunt has raised concerns about cons of of social media obsession.