‘This reel disease is increasing’: UP man arrested for faking death on busy road | India News

NEW DELHI: Tension gripped the Kasganj district of Uttar Pradesh when a man’s pursuit of online fame took an extreme turn. A video is doing rounds on social media, that captured a 23-year-old man, identified as Mukesh Kumar, lying still on a busy road in Kasganj, pretending to be dead.
In the video, it can be seen that his ‘lifeless’ body was covered with a white bed sheet, cotton was stuffed in his nostrils, and a flower garland around his neck, creating a disturbingly realistic scene.

However, as the video concluded, Kumar abruptly came to life, erupting in laughter. The astonished bystanders realised they had been tricked into witnessing an elaborate prank and promptly notified the authorities.
Consequently, local police arrested Kumar for causing public disturbance and mischief. The video, shared on X, was captioned, ”In #UttarPradesh’s Kasganj district, a young man pretended to die by lying down in the middle of a busy intersection. The police have arrested the ‘reel star‘ Mukesh Kumar.”
According to Shri Rajesh Bharti, additional superintendent of police, the incident took place at the Raj Cold Storage area in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh. In a video statement, he said, ”The man has made a video by sleeping on the road and creating a shock through his video. Taking cognisance of this, we have arrested the man identified as Mukesh Kumar and necessary action will follow.”

The stunt video has triggered widespread criticism from social media users, who condemned Kumar for his insensitive and attention-seeking behaviour. His reckless attempt at going viral has provoked outrage and raised concerns about the perils of social media obsession.
One user commented, ”Reel makers are ready to go to any extent,” while another remarked, ”I never thought people would stoop so low for views.” A third user wrote, ”The world is full of strange and crazy people, they should be given training to make good reels.” Another added, ”This reel disease is increasing.”