UP youth dies while performing stunt for Instagram followers
A 21-year-old man identified as Shivam Kumar from Uttar Pradesh lost his life while attempting a stunt for his Instagram followers. The incident occurred on Thursday evening at a Junior High School in Khairada village, Janpad Banda. Kumar was reportedly trying to hoist a flag while hanging upside down from a flag post on the school's roof when the cemented pole collapsed below his weight. Kumar fell to his death.
Friends witness unfortunate accident during Instagram stunt
Earlier that day, Kumar had picked up his father from the railway station up and dropped him home before heading to the school. His friends, Anu and Ankit, were already at the site when he arrived. The trio ascended to the rooftop to film Kumar's stunt for Instagram. Soon after they started recording the reel, the pole fell and Shivam got crushed beneath it. He died of his injuries on the spot.
Instagram profile reveals history of similar stunts
A review of Kumar's Instagram profile reveals that he regularly performed similar stunts, often hanging upside down from trees and ceilings. His father Vardani, a laborer, is now mourning the sudden loss of his son. However, no police complaint has been filed as yet. Kumar was employed at a water pouch factory at the time of his death.
Victim's family is yet to file police complaint
Ram Mohan Rai, officer in charge of Matoundh police station, said the victim's family is yet to file a formal complaint in the case. In a similar case, a 16-year-old girl in Malaysia allegedly committed suicide after running a social media poll, asking her followers to vote on whether she should choose "death" or "life". According to police, the girl ran a poll on popular photo-sharing platform, Instagram, in which a majority of her followers voted for her to die.
